


Sunlight and Shadow

by PurrfecktlySinful



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alphyne, Angels, Angst, Attempted Non Con, Death, Demons, Fontcest, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Violence, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Slow Burn, Some Fluff, Spoilers, Torture, Violence, but not too slow I hope, dubcon, general sex stuff, reborn!tale, reborntale, some fuzzy moments, suicide references, verbal references to rape/noncon, you know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-21 22:37:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 20
Words: 68,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6060727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurrfecktlySinful/pseuds/PurrfecktlySinful
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Undertale AU wherein when monsters die, they become either angels or demons based on their emotional/mental state. After a certain important event, Papyrus wakes up with only the memory of his own name.</p><p>I do not own the Reborn!Tale AU. It was created by @skellyhell and lives at @reborntale on Tumblr(NSFW warnng)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rebirth

**Author's Note:**

> Hooookay! So this is a wonderful little AU that has grabbed me right by the ankles and dragged me straight into Fontcest skelehell. Part of me can't believe I'm writing this. I have never written a speck of smut ever, but this AU has made me consider stepping out of my comfort zone to write something different. (x//_\\\x) we’ll see. Since I don't really know how this is gonna turn out or where it's gonna lead, I am going to be adding tags as I write. First parts should be easy enough though.
> 
> I am so nervous about this one and how well it will turn out. Please leave me any feedback. 
> 
> My own Tumblr - http://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com/

The first things he remembers are light and warmth.

He is scattered, floating and drifting. He is fine with that, but the warmth draws him, bringing him together slowly and gently. He can feel himself forming, sensation and consciousness developing and solidifying in that peaceful light. He is peaceful, happy, content….he is…

I AM PAPYRUS.

The realization of himself comes to him like waking from a dream. He opens his eyes as the light disperses around him.

White. Lots of white. There was snow underfoot and he was surrounded by a thick mist. He looked down at his feet, his eyes focusing on the first bright color in all of that blinding white. Red. A dusty, crumpled outfit lay at his feet. He wondered absently what it was doing there. Why had its owner left it laying there? A part of him felt mildly offended that someone would be so careless. He didn’t know. He realized he didn’t really know anything…other than his name.

Papyrus. He was Papyrus.

He heard a soft crunching sound and turned. He could see a small figure, moving away from him. The figure was wearing a striped shirt, something glinting at their side.

“WAIT!” Papyrus called out. Maybe this person knew where they were. Maybe they could be friends?

The figure didn’t answer, disappearing into the mist before Papyrus could follow.

Papyrus was at a loss. He didn’t know where he was. His memories were a complete blank. Oddly, though, despite some mild puzzlement, he didn’t seem to mind all that much. He felt calm and completely comfortable with himself, even if he really didn’t KNOW anything more than a name.

Curious about his surroundings, he turned a slow circle. There wasn’t much to notice other than the fog, but he suddently caught something out of the corner of his eye. A new color, warm, soft and orange-gold. He reached out and grabbed it…soft…and realized he could feel the touch. Whatever it was was a part of himself. He wondered if he could move it. He experimented, using new muscles to slowly stretch it out. Whatever they were he had two of them, like his arms or legs.

More orange-gold…and feathers. They were wings! Large, beautiful, feathery wings!

“WOWIE!” He gasped in delight, his eyes wide and sparkling. He spent some time petting them in awe, fingering the large sturdy pinions near the tips and marveling at the softer, smaller feathers near the top of the wings. It felt pretty good, actually. He began to feel very proud of himself.

“WELL, NO MATTER WHAT I DON’T KNOW, I CAN SEE FOR A FACT THAT I AM OBVIOUSLY VERY GREAT!” Papyrus declared confidently. He extended his wings out as far as they would go, flexing them in and out a few times, testing the way they felt. 

His train of though was interrupted by more approaching footsteps. Papyrus thought at first his friend in the striped shirt had come back and his face brightened in expectation. But then he realized it was coming from th opposite direction. Who could this be? Another friend? Papyrus watched curiously. 

A person emerged from the fog. He walked with an unhurried step and an easy slouch. Papyrus saw it was a skeleton, shorter than himself, with a large grin and half lidded eyes from which glittered twin pinpricks of light. He wore a blue hoodie and dark shorts with a pair of pink fuzzy slippers. Despite his easy demeanor, he seemed to be looking around somewhat anxiously for something. His deep voice rang out through the fog.

“hey! Papyrus! were are you! been waiting at home for you!” he called, trying to keep his tone light “seriously, bro! i’m not finding this very humerus right now!”  
Papyrus? He was Papyrus! How did this person know him? And was that a pun?

“I AM HERE, STRANGE PERSON!” Papyrus answered “I AM SORRY IF I HAVE CAUSED YOU DISTRESS! HAVE WE MET BEFORE?” He moved forward to greet this new friend.

Without an answer, without seeing him, he passed right through Papyrus as though he wasn’t there. Papyrus finally figured out that this person could not see him, and apparently could not touch him either. The whole experience left Papyrus feeling odd. 

“Pap?”

The word was very small, very lost. For the first time in his very short existence, Papyrus felt a great sadness tear at his heart, all because of that single syllable. He turned to see that this new person, whom he hoped to become friends with, had come to a stop next to the dusty pile of clothes and was staring down at them blankly. The two shining lights in his eyes had gone out completely and he was very quiet. Papyrus knew something was wrong. He didn’t like this at all. He had to fix it. 

“WHAT IS WRONG?” Papyrus asked him, desparate to help…to…anything “DO NOT WORRY! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, CAN SURELY ASSIST YOU!”

No response. That’s right, he couldn’t be seen by this person. Papyrus hovered anxiously, at a loss for what to do. 

Finally, the small skeleton knelt down and retrieved the piece of red cloth that Papyrus had seen earlier. He gazed at it and fingered it tenderly for a few moments before stuffing it into his pocket. He then stood, and drew his hood up over his head, hiding part of his face. His eyes were still blank and distant.

“OH, PLEASE. DON’T BE LIKE THAT…DON’T…DON’T CRY, PLEASE!” Papyrus said desperately. Even though there were no tears, no wailing or sobbing. He could tell. This person was crying as deeply and as despairingly as any child lost and alone would do.

Finally, Papyrus did the only thing he could think of. He extended his wings, his new, beautiful orange-gold wings and encircled that person as warmly as he could. Even if he could not touch him, even if he could not be heard, Papyrus tried his hardest to radiate all of his comfort into that one gesture. 

“IT’LL BE OKAY. YOU’LL BE OKAY. I’M HERE WITH YOU.” 

The change was small, but it was there. The small skeleton seemed to shake himself a little and some of the light returned to his eyes. It was not all better. It was not fixed, whatever it was, but it was something. Papyrus watched him as he looked in the direction that the first figure had gone in, small footprints trailing through the snow. A decision was made, and he began to walk in that direction, following the trail into the fog. 

Papyrus didn’t hesitate for a moment. He had to make sure that this person would be okay, to protect him even if he could only do so much. He was still sad and lost and Papyrus desperately wanted him not to be. Tucking his wings back up behind him in apprehension he swiftly followed this new friend into the mist.


	2. Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus continues to follow Sans as he follows the human. Papyrus then gets to meet some interesting new acquaintances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I has a Tumblr: http://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com/ 
> 
> Come visit! <3 
> 
> Leave likes and reblogs(only if you like my stuff, o'course)! or hit up my asks? I will try to answer anything reasonable. I don't bite. (^_^)
> 
> Again, RebornTale AU belongs to @skellyhell and lives at @reborntale on tumblr.

One of the first things he learned was the name of his new companion…Sans.

Sans followed the figure in the striped shirt, and Papyrus followed Sans. As they traveled they passed more small piles of dust and clothing. Initially, Sans would pause briefly when he caught sight of them and Papyrus could sense that his mood darkened with each one they passed. After the first handful though, Sans no longer even glanced at them. Papyrus thought he was trying NOT to look and he wondered why.

The ground became wet an marshy, and the white of snow had long ago given way to the deep blue of shadows illuminated by the pale light of mushrooms. Papyrus gazed around him curiously, taking in the new sights. They entered a smaller, darker cavern then, and Papyrus was struck with awe. High up on the ceiling glittered hundreds of sparkling lights. It was beautiful. 

“WOWIE!” Papyrus breathed.

Sans, too, had stopped for a moment, gazing up at the twinkling spots above them. From the expression on his face he seemed to be lost in some memory. Then he sighed and continued on till they reached a strange device standing by itself across from a blank wall. Papyrus examined it curiously, wondering what it could be before giving up and turning his attention back to Sans, who was at the far wall. After a few moments of probing at it, a door appeared with a rumbling thump. 

Sans stood thinking for a few moments before coming back to the weird device next to Papyrus. He leaned against the wall and with a weary groan, slid down to take a seat on the floor. There were dark circles under his eyes and he drew a bony hand down across his face.

“heh…” his voice was still weak, flat. “I’m…bone tired…just for a little while…”

Papyrus watched and worried. After a short length of time, the reclining skeleton began to snore softly. He was asleep. It was a light, troubled sleep but it relieved Papyrus that he seemed to be a little more at peace in this state. It didn’t look like Sans was going to be going anywhere too soon, so Papyrus decided to take the opportunity to explore a little. 

In the next room, he noticed that there were plaques set into the wall at regular intervals. He paused at each to read, and they told in intriguing story about a war between creatures called monsters and humans. Papyrus wondered briefly which Sans was before moving on.

There was an expanse of water at the end of the corridor, and Papyrus puzzled over it for a few moments before smiling brightly. This was nothing! He had wings after all. He spread them wide and gave a few experimental swipes at the air. Getting the feel for it, he launched himself up and glided almost effortlessly toward the platform at the opposite end. 

Just before he reached the opposite side, a figure stepped forward, obscured by shadows. Startled, Papyrus wings faltered. He wobbled, tried to catch himself, then dropped clumsily into the water and muck with a dull sploosh. 

Thankfully the water wasn’t terribly deep and after a few moments of floundering he was back on his feet. He looked down at himself in distaste, dripping, wings and all. That was less than pleasant. He waded the last few steps to the platform and began to scramble up. He heard a rough, reedy laugh from above him and looked up to see the person who had startled him.

He had single enormous eye, a mouth full of very sharp teeth, and large, long feet. He perched on his toes, making him appear larger and more intimidating. Large horns curved up and back from the sides of his head and he had a small pair of leathery wings stretched out behind him. His long tail curled around him and the tip twitched as he watched Papyrus slowly pull himself up and out of the water with malicious amusement. He did not offer to help. 

“That was fuckin’ priceless.” He chortled “Fell outta the air like bird shit!” 

“I MEANT TO DO THAT!” Papyrus declared, flushing, trying to recover his hurt pride. He shook his wings out as best as he could. “YOU COULD HAVE GIVEN ME A HAND, YOU KNOW.” 

“It was more fun to watch. You make one HELL of a funny fish, angel!” 

“MY NAME IS NOT ANGEL. IT’S PAPYRUS!” Papyrus huffed. 

The other became quiet at this statement and looked at Papyrus oddly for a moment. Suddenly, he gave a very large, very sharp grin.

“You’re a new one, aren'tcha?” He said smoothly. His eye raked over Papyrus in a way that Papyrus really didn’t care for, making him squirm. His wings tucked up behind him reflexively. “ I think you should come with me…Papyrus.”

Papyrus thought that was a very odd way to say his name. He didn’t think he liked it. But he felt he should be polite.

“I’M SORRY. I CAN’T GO. I’M WITH SOMEONE RIGHT NOW, AND CANNOT LEAVE THEM ALONE FOR LONG. HE’S…NOT FEELING VERY WELL” Papyrus shot a worried glance back toward where he had left Sans.   
His new acquaintance narrowed his eye, considering. Then his tone shifted. “That’s too bad…” He sounded sympathetic. “Maybe there’s a way I could help?”

“REALLY!?” Papyrus lit up, thrilled “HOW?”

“I could show you a way to make him feel better.” The sharp smile returned “But you have to come with me. I can show you what to do…and you can come back and help him after that.”

“THANK YOU! BUT ARE YOU SURE IT WILL WORK?” He asked innocently

The other almost choked at that statement, but quickly regained control “Yeah. What I’m gonna show you, it’ll make him feel awesome. I promise.” 

No longer able to contain himself, the other quickly closed the gap between them, grabbed Papyrus roughly by the wrist and began to drag him in the opposite direction.

“OUCH. THAT HURTS. DON’T PULL SO HARD!” Papyrus was caught off guard and stumbled trying to keep up. Even though the other was shorter, he was unusually strong.

“That is quite enough.” 

The voice was soft, but carried a commanding tone that stopped them both dead. Papyrus heard the soft rush of large wings as a large figure settled on the walkway ahead of them, blocking their progress. 

“Shit.” The other swore.

The newcomer stood a good few inches taller than Papyrus and the one leading him. He wore a blue robe with a simple pattern of triangles and circles printed on the front. A large, golden halo shone above his head. Two curved white horns poked out from under the fur on his head and large, loppy ears framed a soft white face. The look in his eyes was anything but soft, though. He glared down at the one who was leading Papyrus off, sending a very clear message with his look, causing him to cringe.

“I think…you should leave now.” 

The other dropped Papyrus’ wrist like it had suddenly burned him, his one eye wide in fright and his wings withdrawing tightly behind him. The newcomer stepped aside and the other scuttled off quickly, avoiding his gaze. When he was far enough away, he turned back for a moment to yell hatefully.

“FUCK YOU!” before disappearing into the dark altogether.

Papyrus rubbed his wrist and looked up at the newcomer, and the newcomer stared back, his gaze now soft and kind. 

“Hello. My name is Asriel. Who might you be?”

“I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS!” he responded. He looked past Asriel to where the other had gone “I REALLY WISH YOU HADN’T SENT HIM AWAY.”

“You should not have listened to that one. He is a demon. He meant nothing but ill for you.” Asriel’s voice was grave

“BUT HE SEEMED SO NICE. HE SAID HE WANTED TO HELP.” 

“Trust me, Papyrus, you do not need his kind of help”

“OH”

Asriel sighed wearily.

“Listen, Papyrus, I hate to drop so much on you at once, but I do not have much time. Something bad is happening to the mortal monsters down here. A human, or something shaped as a human, is seeking out and killing them one after another, and this is causing some…consternation. We can’t keep up with all the new arrivals, and some have already been taken as you almost were. You are still new. That is painfully obvious. You need to come with me. I can show you where there are others like us. Other angels. We can keep you safe till you learn more.”

“KILLING THEM? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?” Papyrus asked, puzzled.

“You have seen the piles of dust, have you not? They are what remains of monsters after they have been killed. When they are killed, they cease to be and we” Asriel gestured at themselves “and they” his hand waved out toward where the other had vanished “ are reborn from what remains. I would love to explain more, but I do not have the luxury. Will you come with me, please?”

“THANK YOU FOR THE OFFER, BUT I CAN’T.” Papyrus beamed in gratitude. “ I HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS WAITING FOR ME. HE CANNOT SEE ME OR HEAR ME, AND I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP HIM. BUT I CAN’T LEAVE HIM…HE IS…NOT FEELING WELL.”

“A mortal. Probably one of the few remaining monsters from this part of the Underground.” Asriel considered “Well, I cannot argue with you if you feel this is the right thing to do, but I cannot stay. Please be careful, Papyrus.”

“NOTHING IS TOO MUCH FOR THE GREAT PAPYRUS TO HANDLE. I WILL BE FINE.” 

“Haha! You are quite something, Papyrus.”

“OF COURSE, FOR I AM TRULY GREAT! THOUGH, THERE IS ONE THING, IF I COULD ASK?”

“What is that?”

“I…DON’T KNOW HOW I CAN HELP THIS…MORTAL. I REALLY WANT TO FIX WHATEVER IS BOTHERING HIM. HE IS SO UPSET…” Papyrus looked a little dejected.

Asriel smiled a little sadly.

“Because mortals have the gift of choice, there is only so much that even we can do. However, trust me on this. The best thing you could do for this mortal is to just to stay by his side. We exert an…influence over them that seems to help. I hope to see you safe, Papyrus. Goodbye” He spread large, white wings and took off into the dark.

Papyrus had a lot to consider as he made his way back to Sans. Now he knew why Sans had been so bothered by the piles of dust and clothing they had passed. Each one represented a precious life, lost. And that original pile, where Papyrus woke up…it clicked. That had been him…or at least some other version of him that existed before the human had come. And that version of him had been very important to Sans.

‘they cease to be’ Papyrus shuddered at Asriel’s choice of words. That version of himself didn’t exist anymore. That Papyrus was gone forever. He tried to imagine it. If someone he cared for so much was suddenly taken away from him, and he knew he would never see them again…

The reason for Sans’ grief became suddenly clear to Papyrus, cutting into his heart. What had happened to Sans could not be fixed, he realized, at least not in any direct way. He could not bring that Papyrus back for him, and Sans would truly never see him again. 

He hadn’t been gone all that long, and when he re-entered the room where he had left him, Sans was still asleep. Papyrus sat against the opposite wall, watching the sleeping monster, chin resting on his drawn up knees and his wings wrapped around himself. It was then that he let himself cry a little. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he thought of Sans’ pain, and of all the lives lost already to this human. Lives that were probably just as important to other people as that other Papyrus had been to Sans. It just wasn’t fair.

Papyrus wondered if there was anyone who thought of Sans as important. He hoped so.

Sans, sleeping against the other wall, began to shift uncomfortably. His sleep was becoming more restless, and he muttered under his breath. 

‘We exert an…influence over them that seems to help’ 

Papyrus wiped his eyes and stood up. He crossed the room and sat back down next to the sleeping skeleton. From there, Papyrus did his best to project his sincerest hopes that his sleep be peaceful and dreamless, a small respite from the unfolding tragedy around them. Gradually Sans became less restless and settled in more comfortably, his snores becoming a bit deeper.

Papyrus knew he wouldn’t sleep long. Soon enough he would be awake again and have to face all over what had happened. Papyrus renewed his resolve. If he could not fix what had ALREADY happened, maybe he could help going forward. He believed Sans could do better… feel better, even if Sans didn’t think so himself.

“DO NOT WORRY, SANS. THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL REMAIN BY YOUR SIDE UNTIL ALL OF THIS IS OVER, NO MATTER THE RESULT.”

He prayed that result would be a happy one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only angel I could think of in this AU that would NOT have been too young to give Papyrus the basics was our little goat-child. Since I figured he was in his “adult” transformed state when he passed, I thought that might carry over to his angel form? Either way, he probably wanted to smoke that demon for daring to mess with a new angel, but was afraid it might frighten poor Paps.
> 
> Let’s hope I don’t suck at writing mean characters. It wouldn’t be interesting if the demons end up coming off flat. (>_


	3. Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Papyrus continue their journey together. Papyrus sees things he wish he didn't but also manages to make more new friends. Sans finally has his moment, in more ways than one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> basic stuff: reborn!tale au belongs to @skellyhell and lives at @reborntale on tumblr, check em' out!
> 
> my tumblr is http://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com

After a few hours of sleep, Sans finally woke and they continued

Despite the circumstances, Papyrus was continually amazed by the beauty of the world he found himself in. In some areas, the water gleamed with a shimmering light, illuminating the path forward. There were large blue flowers scattered throughout the caverns, and in some areas, there were glowing mushrooms that flared up brightly when Sans placed his hand on them. Sometimes Papyrus saw small specks of light that floated through the air, dancing lazily. He tried to catch one, but to his disappointment, it disappeared when his hands closed over it.

They continued to see evidence of the human's rampage as they walked. Now that Papyrus knew what the signs were, he paid more attention, and now that he was paying attention, the things that Sans COULDN'T see began to bother him. Most of the spots were relatively unremarkable. However, at a few places, Papyrus could see the signs of struggling in the space around the remains, though by the time they passed whatever had happened was over. He wondered what could have caused such disturbances and it worried him.

One spot was especially bad. Papyrus' stomach lurched when he saw it. The struggle that had taken place here had been much more violent than the others. Parts of the ground were turned up as though sharp claws had torn at the Earth. The area was littered with shreds of clothing and damaged feathers. The cloth, feathers and ground were all spattered with crimson. There were signs that something had been dragged off along the ground, deeper into the caverns, with more broken and bent feathers marking the direction. Papyrus could feel the negative pressure surrounding him. Something bad happened here. This was not a good place. At least, not anymore. It frightened him and he was intensely relieved when Sans moved on.

He also saw other reborn monsters. In one room, hiding in a corner was a particularly timid looking angel. She sang quietly to herself, and didn't notice when Sans and Papyrus entered the room. She was covered in green scales and fins, and her wings were a pale violet color. Locks of her hair obscured part of her face.

Papyrus, thrilled to see a friendly face, called out.

"HELLO, FRIEND! YOUR SINGING IS VERY BEAUTIFUL."

The angel started and stared at Papyrus before blushing deeply. She didn't say anything, just stared shyly at the ground.

"WHY DID YOU STOP? I AM PAPYRUS. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?" He smiled brightly at her

"S-shyren..." she mumbled, her voice quiet.

"WELL, SHYREN, IF YOU ARE GOOD AT A THING, YOU SHOULD KEEP DOING IT. AND YOU ARE VERY GOOD AT SINGING."

His face was so open and sincere, and his smile so friendly that Shyren couldn't help but giggle.

"Thank you." She said, smiling back.

"YOU'RE WELCOME." Papyrus looked up to see that Sans was almost into the next room "SORRY I CAN'T STAY. IT WAS WONDERFUL MEETING YOU."

Shyren nodded and Papyrus hurried off once again after Sans.

When Papyrus caught up, he could see Sans was holding a strange device up to his ear and talking into it.

"ah. hey, Alphys...yeah, about as okay as you can expect...yeah, it's, uh, pretty bad down here. you might want to start getting people together...what? Undyne? is she sure she wants to...heh, i guess there's no stopping her when she's like that. well, maybe she'll be the one to put an end to this..." There was a particularly long pause and Sans expression began to get more strained "...um, yeah, Alphys, thank you...but no, i REALLY don't want to talk about it...at least not now..." He abruptly ended the conversation, closing the device and shoving it into his pocket.

They entered a room that was almost too dark to see in and Papyrus couldn't make out the path ahead. Sans, though, knew what he was doing. Papyrus stayed close as Sans found a small lamp and activated it, lighting up the path. As they made their way through the room, Papyrus felt a heavy presence and a feeling of being watched. As he peered into the darkness around them, he thought he could see a small, glittering pair of malevolent eyes staring at them from the other end of the room. He could swear they were vibrating intensely.

It was quite a while longer before they reached a long bridge over a deep chasm. Near the end of the bridge, Papyrus could see a figure sitting. As they approached, he could make out that it was another angel. She sat quietly, looking around herself with a bemused, puzzled expression on her face. Lean and well muscled, she had scaly blue skin and a shock of red hair pulled back into a single ponytail on top of her head. She wore an eyepatch over her left eye. The dusty pile of armor next to her was all the explanation Papyrus needed. Sans also saw the remains and he paused, a pained look coming over his face, his hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck.

"oh, geez...Alphys...i am so sorry..." he muttered to himself, his voice heavy once again with sorrow "even Undyne..."

The newly born angel looked up and on catching sight of Papyrus and Sans, gave a large, toothy grin.

"Hey! You seem to know me? Though I don't seem to remember you at all."

"HELLO! KNOW YOU? HOW?"

"Well your friend there just said my name." She replied. She stood up and turned to Sans. "Didn't you?"

Sans, of course, didn't respond.

"HE CAN'T EXACTLY SEE US."

"How can he not see us? He's standing right there."

"I WAS TOLD IT IS BECAUSE HE IS MORTAL?" Papyrus ventured.

"Oh, okay." Undyne examined Papyrus for a moment." By the way, I've been wanting to ask..."

"YES?"

"Where did you get those wings? They are FREAKING awesome!" Undyne's face lit up with excitement as she asked.

"I'VE HAD THEM SINCE I CAN REMEMBER. THOUGH, WHAT I REMEMBER IS NOT VERY MUCH. YOUR WINGS ARE VERY NICE TOO."

"What, me?" Undyne looked back over her shoulder, and seemed to be astonished to find she had her own pair, though hers were pale emerald in color. "OH, MAN! I can't BELIEVE it, I do! That is just sweet! Do they work?"

"UM, YES?"

"Great! I've gotta check this out!" She looked around her, then glanced over the edge of the bridge, calculating. It was a long drop. Her one eye glinted. She flexed her wings a few times in anticipation.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"What does it look like? I'm gonna take these things for a test run."

Papyrus gave the darkness below them a worried look. If Undyne messed this up, she wasn't just gonna get off being a little wet and mucky.

"I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD..."

Too late. With an eager shout, she launched herself into space. The light was dim and she quickly dropped out of sight below. There was a long, tense silence as Papyrus waited and watched.

Thoughts began to race in his mind. What if she didn't make it? Was she hurt? They had already died once, what even happened to angels after an accident like that? Papyrus became more and more agitated and was just about to take off after her, when suddenly...

With a yell of joy, Undyne shot up and out of the darkness. She was a blur of blue, red and green. She leveled out and turned a brief circle overhead before coming back down to land next to Papyrus again. She gave him a satisfied look.

"Sorry if I scared you, there."

Papyrus stared at her, not entirely sure how to respond for a moment. The worry and fear were still there and hadn't entirely died away, but slowly another emotion was emerging, and it was this emotion that prompted his response.

"THAT...WAS...ABSOLUTELY COOL!" Papyrus' eyes were wide and sparkling. Asriel had been really nice, but Undyne had to be the coolest person Papyrus had met so far. He had the idea that nothing would probably scare her.

"Thanks." she glanced away, a little embarrased. "Oh! Hey, your mortal seems to be getting away."

Papyrus looked, and sure enough, Sans was quite a ways off and getting further. Papyrus immediately began to follow again, waving cheerily at Undyne as he left.

"OH! THANK YOU! I'LL SEE YOU AROUND."

"Sure thing!"

Finally the cool damp air began to warm and give way to a pressing humidity. They passed a very large sign that said "Welcome to Hotland". The blue and grey shadows surrounding them began to fade and were replaced by the red and gold glow of hot lava. They passed a small shack and Papyrus was amazed to see that, despite the heat, there was snow on the roof. He knew he didn't have much experience, but that seemed very strange.

They came to a crossroads. the path continued off to the right and left. Ahead of them loomed a large, metallic building. Sans considered a moment before pulling out his strange device again. After a few button presses he put it back up to his ear. There was a long pause, and Sans had begun to look worried when he finally got a response.

"oh. hey. Alphys. i wasn't sure if you were gonna answer. i just need to ask, you've got Hotland covered right?...ok. good...where did you last see...wow. farther than i thought...ok, i'm gonna head up to the resort, then, check things out there." There was a long, awkward pause. "hey, um, Alphys. i just wanted to say hang in there. i know it can't help...nothing can help either of us much right now i think...but once this is done, let's get together and we can just talk, maybe swap some stories?" Another pause and San's expression softened a bit "yeah, we'll do that then. later, Alphys."

After hanging up, Sans approached the door to the large building. After fishing through his pocket for a moment, he found what he was looking for. It was a dusty black eye patch. Papyrus hadn't seen him take it. He gently slid it under the door, pressed the buzzer and then turned to leave.

From there, Sans turned right. Papyrus followed him to a large metal door that led to a small room. They both got in and Papyrus was startled when he felt the room begin to move upwards. After a few moments it came to a stop, the doors opening out onto a whole different room. Papyrus was impressed.

A few minutes later and they were standing in front of a large building with the logo MTT in large curly letters above the door. The warm, inviting light that the building emitted was a stark contrast with their silent, barren surroundings. There were remains here as well, littering the ground here and there, giving the air a stale, musty smell. Unsurprisingly it was very unpleasant.

Then Papyrus heard something. It was very faint, but there were some very small, very sad sounds coming from the alleyway to the right of the building. There was someone there. Since he didn't feel any kind of presence, he felt pretty safe assuming they were mortal, like Sans, whoever they were. They sounded like they needed help.

Papyrus glanced anxiously at Sans. He, however, was completely caught up in his own thoughts and headed toward the door of the building. Papyrus scrambled for what to do. Whoever was over there needed help. Papyrus knew he couldn't be seen or heard, and he also did not want to leave Sans for fear of losing track of him. Goodness knows he almost had a number of times. The only one who could help them out was Sans, and he was so oblivious to anything but his own pain and the human ahead of him that he didn't notice. Frustrated, Papyrus gave a couple of childish stamps with one foot.

In desperation, Papyrus marched over and stood in front of Sans, arms and wings outstretched as though to bar the way. Then, purely out of his frustration and not really knowing how he did it, he gave Sans a hard emotional 'PUSH'. It felt similar to before, when he seemed to be able to telegraph encouragement or comfort to the shorter skeleton, only this was more forceful, and immediately made Papyrus feel a little drained. But it had the desired result.

Sans stopped dead, suddenly paying attention to the world around him. He looked around with a vaguely puzzled look on his face before he finally heard the faint noise coming from the alleyway. He decided to investigate. Relieved, Papyrus followed.

"...it's okay...quiet...'ll come back..." the sounds became more distinct as they approached.

Far back in the rear of the alleyway, hidden behind some trash cans, were two small forms. They were foxy in appearance, one had russet red fur, the other, smaller one was a lighter, more goldish color. They both wore striped shirts, the larger of the two had a green ribbon pinned at her ear. She was holding the smaller, and they were both sniffling and crying into each other, scared out of their wits. The larger monster was trying to shush the smaller one and get them to be quieter, even though they were trying to fight back their own tears.

Both Sans and Papyrus noticed the pair of dusty remains resting in front of the trash-can barrier, as though guarding what lay beyond. Papyrus's heart twisted in sadness.  
"shit." Sans response was simple, but the tone conveyed volumes.

The pair had noticed Sans by now, though they didn't seem to be able to piece together that he was not a threat through their fear. He tried to approach slowly. If it was even possible, the smaller of the two burrowed more deeply into the larger one and began to cry loudly. The larger however, bared her fangs at Sans as viciously as she could, her brush tail bushing out to twice it's size. She was obviously prepared to defend the smaller monster to her death.

Sans stopped, and after thinking for a moment, knelt down, resting his arms on his knees and gazing levelly at them.

"ok. i get it. won't move another inch. i'll just stay right here till you've, uh, calmed down."

He waited. Realizing that he wasn't going to come closer, she began to calm down. Her tail smoothed back out and her sharp white teeth slowly disappeared. She still watched him suspiciously.

"hey, kid. how's about a joke?"

No response, though Papyrus though he saw a glittering green eye peep out from underneath one of the girl monster's arms. 

"how do you catch a unique bird?"

She stared at him blankly.

"you neek up on it." Sans winked

There was a small snort from the smaller child. She, however, didn't budge.

"geez, man. tough crowd..." Sans chuckled "okay, how's about this one? how do you catch a tame bird?"

The young girl monster seemed to think on this a moment, but couldn't seem to come up with an answer. Sans relaxed a little, seeing that the child was warming up to him.

"tame way."

There was a small explosion of giggles from the smaller monster. Finally, she relaxed the rest of the way.

"is that your little bro?" Sans asked gently.

She nodded and They stood up, her brother's paw clasped tightly in her own. Now that things weren't so scary, the little fox looked around curiously. He was friendly and smiled wide at Sans, whose grin widened back.

"great. you, uh, did a very good job there, i'm sure your parents are proud of you." Sans said to her.

Her face fell, and Sans could see she was going to start crying again. He winced as he realized that she, at least, knew.

"yeah, kiddo. bad subject, won't go there again." then he looked at her seriously "but i really need you to pay attention. you need to be strong for your brother here, right? you're the big sister."

She nodded again.

"not much for words, are you? that's okay. i need you to follow me out of this alley. while we do, i need you both to keep your eyes on me the whole time. if you look, he's gonna look, and we don't need that, okay?" he looked at the younger monster, who smiled up at him shyly "you doin' okay there, little guy?"

"Uh-huh!~" the little fox answered

"what are your names?"

"My name's Stevie, and this is Mina!" Stevie volunteered. 

"okay, Stevie. i need you keep your eyes on me till i say so, okay kiddo? it's a kind of game."

Stevie considered for a moment before agreeing. "ok!"

With that, Sans carefully guided the two away and up toward the front half of the alley, making sure that neither child had to look at what was left of their parents. Just because the older one knew, didn't mean she needed to see it.

Once he reached the front of the alley, he knelt down again.

"that was a great job, Stevie. hey, you have a pretty cool big sister here, don't you?" he remarked

"Yeah, Mina's great! She plays with me and makes sure the big kids are nice to me!" then he lowered his voice confidentially. "but she has a really hard time talking to people, though, so I have to make sure I'm there to help her." 

"i bet you do." Sans said. He noticed the doting look of affection that Mina was giving her brother and an unreadable expression crossed his face for a few moments. He felt a tug at his sleeve. He looked down at Stevie, who was looking at him worriedly. He had been quiet for too long.

"You okay, mister?" he asked innocently.

"heh, yeah. i'm fine. " he responded, ruffling the kid's ears, though Papyrus thought he sounded like he was fighting to keep his voice even.

Sans pointed back the way they had come from. 

"go that way and turn left. take the elevator all the way down, you'll see a large building that says 'lab' above the doorway. ring the buzzer there, there are people there who will make sure you're safe." He gave a pointed look at Mina "you don't have to run, but i need you to go straight there, okay?"

She nodded.

As they headed off to the elevator back into Hotland, Stevie made sure to turn and give one last excited wave before they disappeared around the corner. Sans waved back.

Papyrus had watched this whole process with amazement. Who knew this Sans was so good with children. He seemed to pick up immediately on what needed to be done to calm them and get them to safety. There was more initiative and action in that ten minute period on behalf of others than Papyrus had seen Sans spend on himself in all the time he had accompanied him.

Papyrus decided he really liked this side of Sans.

Sans, however, wasn't doing so well. After the siblings had disappeared, his eyes had become blank and distant again, the small lights in his eyes fading entirely. He took a couple of stumbling steps backward. His back hit the wall at the entrance to the alleyway and he slowly slid down into a sitting position. His hand went to his chest as though in pain. 

"i...don't think i can do this anymore..." He muttered to himself, his voice beginning to crack. He took the scrap of red cloth out of his pocket and rubbed it between his fingers. "i'm sorry, Pap. i just...can't" silent tears began to roll down his cheeks.

Papyrus was alarmed. Thinking that Sans was somehow hurt, and forgetting that he could not touch him, Papyrus reached for where Sans was clutching at himself. As his hands got closer, Papyrus realized he could feel something like a faint hum, and he paused. Suddenly curious, he focused harder on that point. He could faintly see the outline of an inverted white heart, it's edges glowing a soft blue color. Intrigued, he reached closer...

And was slammed by a raging wall of emotion. Papyrus was almost dragged in and swept away. This was Sans. He never would have thought that tired, weary face covered up so much. A violent whirling vortex of grief, guilt, sorrow, hate, and oddly, love at the center of it all, glowing brightly. They were all crammed behind an emotional wall of not-feeling, the numbness that Papyrus supposed Sans was using to keep it all contained. But keeping it contained was tearing up the fragile soul as surely as though someone were striking out at it. 

However, that one small interaction with those siblings had created a chink in that wall, and the emotions had begun to leak out, flowing like the tears streaming down Sans face. 

Papyrus considered. He knew what needed to be done. It was going to hurt, but it also hurt to lance a wound, and right now this all needed to come out. Even though it took much of his energy to do it, he pushed at that wall, saying out loud what he was sending emotionally.

"IT'S OKAY TO CRY, SANS."

That did it. The wall broke. Sans drew his knees up, buried his face in his arms and began to sob out his grief. He was not very loud, there was just the shaking of his shoulders, the dry hitch of his breathing, and the occasional wet choke. The red scarf he held in his hand trailed down along his side onto the ground, trembling and heaving as he did. 

Papyrus stumbled back and landed on his rear, exhausted, but relieved. He watched Sans cry, feeling his pain but finally realizing that this was something that needed to happen, that should have happened a long time ago.

He tiredly moved over to sit next to Sans again, needing to rest for a bit.

They sat like that for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And every time I post a new chapter, I get super nervous about it. (o_o);;;
> 
> For those of you familiar with the AU, I hope this isn't taking too long for you, we WILL get to the "meat and potatoes" of this thing soon enough, I promise.
> 
> For everyone else, I hope I'm finding the right balance in moods and not going too over the top here. I want to convey the emotions of the moment and am trying to mix it up a little to keep it from getting too depressing. On the other hand, we are talking the genocide route, here. Please give me feedback with your thoughts.
> 
> The Undyne part gave me a bit of trouble. Took a nap on it and it came to me as I was waking back up. Funny, that...hope it turned out alright.
> 
> Oh, yeah, if if you caught it, my head canon says it's probably Bob. >=-D


	4. Calculation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans gets all sciency and ties up some loose ends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! Two chapters for you fine folks this time around. Wanted to get to a certain point in the story, but there was a spot where a chapter break just made sense.

After Sans had a chance to recover himself, he decided to change things up. Rather than continue on in pursuit of the human, he headed back the way they had come from, Papyrus trailing closely behind. He wondered what Sans was up to now.

Sans pulled out the device he had been using once more. "hey, Alphys, i know you're busy. just a quick question. where is it at now...sleeping, huh...heh, go figure, of course they would have no trouble sleeping." there was a touch of irony in his voice "well, that works out, i need to run a quick errand. talk to you later."

They headed back down the elevator into Hotland and headed straight, past the lab and the path they had come in on. The path abruptly ended at a river, and waiting for them was a ferry and a person shrouded in a black cloak.

"hey, buddy. think you can get me back to Snowdin in a hurry?" Sans said casually.

The figure nodded somberly. They boarded and the river person sang as they traveled

_Tralala. Sometimes something beautiful can grow, even in darkness..._

Once Papyrus realized that Snowdin was where they had started their journey, he was amazed at how quickly the ferry got them there. They had been walking for a long time to get as far as they had, though in some ways Papyrus felt like it had been ages longer.

Papyrus gazed around them curiously as they entered town. There were glittering lights adorning the buildings and a large green spiky tree in the center of town with little paper wrapped boxes laying underneath it. They were very bright and colorful, and Papyrus spent some time circling the tree excitedly, admiring them and declaring how wonderful they were. They passed a large building with the name Grillby's splashed across the front, and Papyrus thought he could smell the remnants of something enticing wafting from the squat building.

Everything was quiet. The town was deserted.

Finally they reached a house near the edge of town, also decorated with lights. There was a large green wreath on the front door and warm light filtered out through the windows. Sans spent some time gazing up at it before circling around to the back.

Once in the back they descended a set of stairs leading to a solid metal door. Sans spent some time fishing in his pocket before drawing out a small silver key shaped in the likeness of a friendly grinning skull. He used this to unlock the door and flipped on the lights as he entered. The room they entered was small, with a Desk on one end, some computers and tables on the opposite wall, and a shrouded machine sitting idly in the far corner.

The place was a mess. Boxes full of file folders were scattered around the room. There were spare parts and pieces of machinery littering the floor, most heavily around the covered machine in the back of the room. On the desk was a riot of papers, books and notepads.

Sans settled himself into a desk chair and pulled a notebook and pen from somewhere in the mess. Despite the insanity that was his desk, Sans seemed to know exactly where to reach for any particular document. He idly shuffled through the papers in front of him. His usually half-lidded gaze was unusually focused on what was in front of him and he alternated between thinking out loud and taking notes on the pad at his elbow. He let out a tired sigh.

"i really wish whatever was initiating this mess would just get sick of it again and reset. heh, its done it enough times." he muttered, drawing his hand down over his face. "crazy freak already got most of the monsters in the underground, Undyne...Papyrus...i'd beg the thing for a reset if i thought it'd work."

Papyrus looked at the notepad, Sans had written the word RESET and SAVE all in caps. He had circled the word RESET, drawn an arrow and written a note that said simply 'what's the point? the loop never ends.' Papyrus' brow creased in consternation. He didn't understand the whole RESET thing, but he didn't like the implications of that note.

His fear was confirmed some time later when Sans gave a grunt of frustration. He was fed up.

"heh, fuck it. eventually it'll reset, anyway, right? it always does. when it does, we'll all be back at the beginning of this whole mess and none the wiser." He chuckled darkly "all i gotta do is take a good, long nap, and when i wake up, Paps will be nagging me about falling asleep at my post again. i'm just. so. tired." He laid his head on his arms. Sleep was good. Sleep was a wonderful escape. Within moments, he was snoring soflty.

Sans was giving up. Papyrus knew it and didn't like it one bit.

"YOU CAN'T GIVE UP, SANS! WHAT ABOUT THE HUMAN?"

Though the thought hadn't coalesced fully in Papyrus' mind, since learning about what this human had done...what they were doing...he had been secretly hoping that Sans was trying to stop it all from happening. That maybe he had a plan.

"COME ON, SANS! WAKE UP! YOU HAVE TO KEEP GOING! THE HUMAN NEEDS TO BE STOPPED. THEY'RE HURTING OTHER PEOPLE THE SAME WAY THEY'VE HURT YOU AND THAT CAN'T KEEP HAPPENING."

But Sans couldn't hear Papyrus.

Papyrus, in his frustration, tried to do what he had done earlier and give Sans another 'push'. However, he had already overexerted himself and was still recovering. It only left him feeling more drained and had no effect. Sans continued to snore. Papyrus' wings drooped in exhaustion.

Disappointed and out of options, all Papyrus could do was find a seat on the floor and wait for Sans to wake up. Hopefully by then he...both of them...would feel better...stronger. Maybe then Papyrus would be able to help Sans the way he truly wanted to.

Time passed. Papyrus had plenty of time to think.

What did he want Sans to do? He didn't know. Was it even fair of him to expect Sans to do something about this human when they had already killed so many? It would be dangerous for Sans to get anywhere near them. Sans could be killed.

He didn't want Sans to die.

At the same time, he knew things couldn't go on as they were, and for some reason, deep down, Papyrus truly believed that Sans would be the one to do it. That he could be the one to stop the human.

After a couple of hours like this, a sudden sound broke him out of his thoughts. One of the computers on the opposite wall had whirred to life, and was printing a readout. That was new. Papyrus watched it curiously. Then he heard Sans stirring from his seat at the desk.

"ugh. what now?" Sans grumbled , his eyes cracking open as his sleep-fuzzed mind tried to process this new interruption. He stood and yawned as he took the three steps over to retrieve the printout, then brought it back to the desk and tossed it down. He returned to his chair "another pointless chunk of data. i'm done thinking about this...or anything else, for that matter. gonna jus' go back to sleep." He rested his head on his arms again.

The page had happened to land just where he was looking when he put his head back down, and as his eyelids drooped, they almost unconsciously scanned what was there.

Suddenly Sans was VERY awake.

He snatched up the paper and looked at it more closely. Papyrus got up and moved closer, both hopeful and nervous at Sans' sudden display of interest.

"well. that, uh, changes things..."

He began to flip through more notes and papers, copying whatever he found relevant and writing out complex calculations in his notebook. All the scribbles and numbers made Papyrus' head spin as he watched him work with an intensity that he would never have thought Sans was capable of. He would work fervently at a particular calculation in the notebook, pause, then push back from the desk to retrieve something from one of the file boxes. He always knew exactly where to look. Then he would examine the document for some time before using some seemingly-random piece of information to continue his calculations.

When he was finally finished he leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable as he thought. Papyrus took a final look at the notepad Sans had been using. It was still largely illegible, and Papyrus could make neither heads nor tails of the majority of it. But he noticed two particular notes that stood out. One was about halfway down the page next to the first set of calculations, just a single word to sum up the results: 'CORRUPTION'. Further down, after the second set of calculations, was a second word: 'PERMANENT'

"this is...not good." Sans mumbled quietly "killing 'em doesn't work because of the SAVE anomaly, and if they don't decide to reset, we're all royally BONED." he smirked dryly at the pun, then fell silent again for a time and considered, his chin cupped in his hand.

Papyrus still didn't understand what had happened or the meaning of what Sans was doing. However, he felt positive about the fact that Sans seemed to at least be trying SOMETHING again. Careful of his still-flagging energy, Papyrus began to slowly feed Sans some encouragement.

"maybe...if they were frustrated enough?" Once more, he started to move papers around. As he seemed to confirm some information, the expression that played over his face could only be described as devious.

"heh. can't believe i'm considering this. i mean, one hit and its over. chances of success aren't too good, either, but if i can stop them..." he laughed ironically "and honestly can't say i wouldn't enjoy it a little...i'm really not the nice one after all...so why not go and at least make sure they have a really BAD TIME..."

With a final groan, he pulled himself out of the chair. They left the basement and circled around to the front of the house. Sans seemed to be undecided for a moment, but finally made up his mind. One more stop. He unlocked the front door of the house and entered.

Sans didn't do much. Mostly he just walked around, looking. Occasionally he would reach out and touch something, like the worn couch, a joke book sitting on the side table, or the kitchen counters, as though they provided some unknown comfort. There were a few dishes scattered on the counter from some recent meal.

"heh. Papyrus would have a fit."

He spent a few moments cleaning them up. He cleared the sprinkles off of a rock with googly eyes sitting on a table in the main room. He considered an old sock left next to the TV with a long tail of sticky notes for a long time before leaving it there. He went up the stairs and entered a room through the door at the top.

Papyrus was impressed. This was a very cool room. There was a large black sheet with a skull-and-crossbones emblem on it hanging on the wall, a neat bed shaped like a race car, and a little table with all sorts of colorful action figures on it. It was also very tidy, not a thing out of place. Similar to downstairs, Sans just spent some time looking at and touching the items within. It was like he was trying to burn everything he saw and felt into his memory.

Papyrus felt a little lost. There were so many things here he just had no context for. Everything in this home bore the evidence of the lives of the two that had lived in it. He knew so little about Sans and this other Papyrus. He wanted to know so much more. He had so many questions that would never be answered.

They didn't stay long, leaving the room after only a few minutes. He looked toward the other room upstairs before shrugging. He didn't bother going in. He merely locked it up before they left. After locking the front door, rather than return the key to his pocket, he slipped it under the mat in front of the door. Shivering a little, Papyrus finally realized.

Sans didn't expect to return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I figured Sans would be one of those "order in chaos" types. 
> 
> I love characters like Sans with their laid back selves and their droopy/sleepy eyes. 
> 
> But man is it also kinda nice to imagine that intense look he would get when he decides to be completely serious and intense about something? 
> 
> *melts like the sinning fangirl she is*


	5. Destination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judgement Time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted this part to come off a certain way, and I hope I managed to convey it well. Any feedback is welcome, please.
> 
> Omigewdness someone made fanart! Seriously check it out! *dies happy*  
> http://that-punny-guy.tumblr.com/post/140058391048/sans-life-had-ended-in-tragedy-maybe-papyrus

Gold. Papyrus was overwhelmed by all of the gold.

Their trip back by the ferry had been swift and uneventful. Unlike before, Sans moved forward with a clear goal in mind, and he wasted no time.

Now the judgment hall stretched before them, somber and beautiful. Artificial sunlight poured in through the stained glass windows and played across the two-toned tiles. Tall marble pillars stood on either side of the hall like sentinels. Papyrus could hear soft tweets and twittering from outside, and wondered what kind of creatures made such pretty music. Sans' footsteps echoed through the heavy silence. They reverberated back from the high ceiling, bounced off the pillars and came back to them, slightly out of sync with his steps. Everything seemed so much smaller in this place.

Sans stopped near the end of the hall. He turned and looked up at the panel of stained glass towering above them. Papyrus joined him. It was made of finely cut glass and the facets of each panel glittered, catching the eye. Gazing at it, Papyrus saw a pattern that he recognized. It was the same design he had seen on the front of Asriel's clothing. Three triangles near the bottom, and above them, a circle with wings. It must be important, then. He wondered what it meant.

"an angel from the surface, huh."

Papyrus jumped, his wings perking up at the thought that Sans might suddenly be able to see him. He realized quickly the statement was not directed at him, though. Sans was merely thinking out loud. He was silent for a few moments before continuing, shrugging to himself.

"heh, too bad i'm not much of a believer"

He withdrew his right hand from his pocket again, still holding the red scarf.

"Papyrus would have believed, though. he believed in everything that was good and beautiful. i bet if he were the one here, he would still believe that he could help them change. heh."

"YOUR PAPYRUS WAS VERY SMART, THEN. ANYONE CAN CHANGE. ANYONE CAN DO BETTER IF THEY TRY. EVEN IF THEY DON'T THINK THEY CAN. I JUST WISH YOU COULD HEAR ME." Papyrus responded confidently.

Sans and Papyrus stood there facing the window for a long time, silhouetted in the brilliant light. Sans was lost in his thoughts, and Papyrus watched as those thoughts and emotions played across his features.

There was a sound.

Papyrus jerked, his wings fluffing slightly in startlement. There was a small tug of fear at this soul. He wasn't ready for this. Sans stuffed both of his hands into his pockets, the scarf still clutched in his right hand. Papyrus reached out instinctively to hold him back, to stop Sans from going. His hand passed right through him. There was no stopping this.

Never had Papyrus felt more absolutely powerless than he did now.

Sans stepped out into the middle of the Hall, blocking the way forward.

The figure stood at the other end. They still wore the same striped shirt, but the colors were muted due to the thick layer of dust that they were coated with. There were dark smudges on their skin, and they stared straight ahead with flat, emotionless eyes. Their eyes came to rest on Sans, and they grimaced in what Papyrus could only think was some twisted version of a smile. A dusty knife glinted in their hand. It looked very sharp.

Papyrus recoiled at the sight. This was...whatever it was...it was wrong.

Sans visibly flinched.

"wow. that's, uh, a LOT of LOVE..." his voice was quiet, almost inaudible.

They began to approach. Suddenly, Papyrus began to feel very strange. There was a sensation similar to a sudden wrenching shift in perception, and suddenly everything felt eerily familiar. As the figure approached with almost painful slowness, the dread and fear beat at Papyrus' soul, overwhelming him. And even though by all logic this was the first time, the only time he had been here, Papyrus was the kind of person who trusted his own feelings and instincts. And they now revealed to his soul a terrible truth.

It was in that moment that Papyrus began to grieve.

And yet despite that grief, despite the dreadful certainty that now faced them both, he knew he would not look away. Slowly but steadily, Papyrus began to feed whatever strength and love and encouragement he could into that one very lonely looking monster standing in the middle of the Judgment hall.

The figure finally came to a stop some distance in front of Sans. They were silent, but Papyrus could see the look of triumph on their face, as though they already knew they had won. Sans took a good long look at their face.

"let's just get to the point"

Suddenly the room was filled with a magical pressure. Papyrus watched as both of their souls manifested in front of them. He had never watched any creature fight before. Sans spoke.

"it's a beautiful day outside. birds are singing, flowers are blooming... on days like these, kids like you..."

The twin lights in his eyes disappeared completely

"S h o u l d  b e  b u r n i n g  i n  h e l l ."

It was at that point, for lack of better words, that all HELL really did break loose.

Sans left eye blazed with blue and gold color, and multiple large floating dog-like skulls appeared around them. With one sharp motion of his left hand, the human soul in front of him turned blue and was thrown violently and bodily to the floor. He followed this with a barrage of bone attacks and laser attacks from the skulls he had summoned. The attacks were rapid, consecutive and vicious, calculated to hit the human like a brick wall and stop them in their tracks.

The human dodged them all easily, an almost bored look on their face.

The battle fell into a steady rhythm after that. The magic that governed their fight seemed to abide by some pretty direct rules. Each participant got their turn to strike, resulting in a furious trade off of blows. Sans would spend some time throwing everything he had at them: bones, blasters, blue attacks, and then they would take their opportunity to slash violently at him with their knife.

Sans was quick. He dodged every attack thrown at him with a smoothness and grace that Papyrus would never have expected of him. His magic was unusually weak, but he manipulated the way both his magic and the magic governing their battle worked, resulting in a quantity over quality method of dealing damage. Rather than a powerful attack that would tear off his enemy's life in chunks, Sans way of fighting resulted in countless small wounds and injuries, slowly but methodically shaving their health down instead. He even used what appeared to be teleportation magic to try and drop the his enemy straight into the line of fire.

He was using every dirty trick in the book.

Papyrus continued to watch, his emotions conflicting with each other turbulently, hand clutching at the scarf around his neck. Despite the tears running down his cheeks and the grief in his soul, he was also amazed and awed at the pure and shining beauty of what he saw before him. Sans was burning brightly, his pale soul bathed in a cerulean flame as he gave every last bit of energy and wit he had at his disposal to try and turn back the..THING..that was causing so much chaos and terror in the Underground. This was Sans at his best, trying his hardest. This was the Sans that Papyrus believed he could be, and it was stunning to behold. And never once did Sans right hand leave its pocket, where he no doubt still clutched the red scarf.

But the fight was dragging on, winding down to an inevitable conclusion Papyrus desperately wished would not come. He still felt the sense of familiarity and dread that kept on increasing as the fight progressed. There were many times when Papyrus felt like one of Sans' attacks should have hit, that the golden tiles should have been painted in crimson, the human limp and defeated on the floor. But every time the human dodged, and from the way they looked Papyrus could tell that they knew. They knew where the next attack was coming from and just when to jump, dodge or weave. It was like they had seen it all before.

And Sans was starting to wear out.

He just couldn't keep up at the rate he was going. The grief, the walking, not getting enough sleep and the fact that he obviously wasn't trying to pace himself in any way was all starting to show. His energy was flagging. That bright light was beginning to burn out.

Finally, after a particularly heavy onslaught of violent attacks, Sans hit his limit. So he tried a last desperate strategy.

He refused to take his turn.

And at first this seemed to work. Whatever magic governed fighting between the mortals in the underground somehow was preventing them from striking out at Sans, all because Sans refused to lash out at them first.

They stood there, facing each other like that for a long stretch of time. Sans tried reasoning with them as they waited.

"....so, uh, in my personal opinion... the most "determined" thing you can do here? is to, uh, completely give up. and... (yawn) do literally anything else."

The human didn't respond. They just continued to wait.

That was all it took.

Sans eyes began to droop. He was so tired, after all. Papyrus saw it start to happen and he tried harder to send Sans a 'push' to wake him up. But because he had been carefully feeding Sans feelings of strength and encouragement through the fight, Papyrus was now pretty worn out himself. If any of it got though now, it was not strong enough to make a difference.

Sans lids got lower and lower until finally, it happened. Sans had literally fallen asleep on his feet.

"NONONO! WAKE UP, SANS! YOU CAN'T DO THIS NOW!"

Even though Papyrus knew it was no good, he still cried out desperately, hoping somehow Sans would sense him or hear him and wake up. The tears came harder and faster. He didn't want this...

The human was making it's move. As Sans snored, they slowly moved closer and closer, looking for the opportunity to take their chance. They were slowly pushing at the boundaries of the rules built into the system, searching for the one thing that would guarantee their victory.

And it seemed like they found it, because as they got just close enough, they lashed out at the sleeping skeleton.

Who immediately woke and dodged the attack.

But he didn't see the second one coming.

It hit him hard, slicing across his jacket and chest with a sickening cracking sound. Suddenly, the golden tiles at his feet were decorated with a spatter of the red liquid that now leaked from the gash on Sans front. He gasped in pain, a shocked expression on his face. He looked down at the open wound on his chest, then up at the human.

"so... guess that's it, huh? ... just... don't say i didn't warn you."

Papyrus was amazed at how calm and steady Sans voice was. He had to be hurting SO much right now.

"welp. i'm going to grillby's."

He turned and began to walk away, clutching his chest and limping slowly. Papyrus rushed toward him, arms outstretched.

"Papyrus, do you want anything?"

Sans finally stumbled and fell. Papyrus reached out to him, trying to catch him before he hit the ground. There was so much Papyrus wanted to say. He wanted to tell Sans how well he had done. How proud he was that Sans had tried so hard, even if it didn't work out. That maybe next time...

Sans phased through Papyrus arms, his body turning to dust as he fell to the floor.

Papyrus couldn't even hold him as he died.

Papyrus just stared down numbly at first. He had never seen someone die before, and he was hit suddenly with how fragile these mortals really were. Sans had been alive only moments ago, and suddenly he was simply...gone. All that was left was dust and a blue hoodie with a scrap of red cloth trailing out of one of the pockets.

Papyrus looked up to see the human merely inches away, looking down at their handiwork. No expression. Papyrus was angry and glared at them.

"WHY DO THIS? WHAT WAS THE POINT?" He demanded, his voice thick with tears and frustration.

But of course he wasn't heard.

After a few moments, the human finally did something very strange.

They dropped the knife, which clattered as it hit the tiles. Then they simply turned around and walked away, back towards where they came from. They left.

And so Papyrus, for the first time since he had woken up in all that bright white, was alone again.

But he wouldn't be alone for long.

He was still incredibly sad at all that had happened, and he knew that these events would stay with him for a long time.

He had a thought.

Sans' life had ended in tragedy.

Maybe Papyrus could make sure another life didn't start the same way.

He liked that idea.

So, even though the grief still nibbled at the corners of his soul, he took a seat on the floor some distance away and prepared himself for what would come next, though he wasn't sure exactly what that would be. It shouldn't be long now.

Papyrus watched and waited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End Part the First(?)
> 
> That one spot where Sans and Paps are standing in front of the window seems like it would be really pretty, especially with papyrus' orange-gold wings. Too bad it only lives in my mind and words right now. I cant draw worth squat. (._. )
> 
> And so here we are, at the first major junction of the story. Thank you for your patience, those of you who may (or may not have been) waiting for this point.
> 
> Thank you again for putting up with my silly writing this far. Hopefully I'll keep doing well as we get into the next part (if I haven't managed to blow it up yet, anyways). And hopefully by just getting to this point I can also start to explore some more "interesting" content, though that may take another couple chapters to get to.


	6. Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet our grouchy new babe, and Papyrus handles things as only he could.

The first thing HE remembers is pain and a violent ripping sensation.

He is scattered. All is wonderful, close...darkness and oblivion. No thinking, no feeling, no self. Just nothing. Then everything becomes fire and pressure as all the pieces of his dispersed being are yanked and forced together rapidly and violently. His forming mind twists and struggles, resisting.

It was the feeling of being dragged, kicking and screaming, into existence.

His waking is a sickening jolt of mind and soul. Opening his eyes, he gasps and clutches at his chest. Something like black ash settles around him and disappears. He is surrounded by piercing light and overwhelming gold and everything is just TOO. FUCKING. BRIGHT.

His thoughts scrabbled for something, anything, to grab hold of.

i am Sans.

He barely had a moment to process this when the changing begins, and now it hurt worse. So MUCH worse! Oh hell, it hurt so bad. He feels his bones stretching, twisting themselves into new shapes. There are stabbing pains on either side of his head, an excruciating jolt races down to the base of his spine and...ShitShitShit he can HEAR the bones popping and creaking and MOVING and it hurt so FUCKING badly.

Finally finding his voice, He roared in agony.

His whole expression was a rictus of pain and he half collapsed onto his arms, his head tucked between them and his back arched. And now he can SEE some of the changes. Through half-focused vision he sees them, metatarsals and phalanges lengthening into something more animal-like, his tail bone reforming and shaping into something longer and more sinuous. He feels other changes as well that he can't see. It feels awful, and his hands clutched desperately at the slick cold surface beneath him.

And through the horror and pain and fear, he could faintly hear hear agitated movement and sounds behind him.

"...S...H NO...SANS...DO...OK?"

Something...someone touched his shoulder, and his hyper-sensitive bones screamed and burned at that touch.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

He reflexively swung his left arm back as he said this. Contact was made, and Sans thought he heard someone cry out and hit the floor. The movement unbalanced him and he fell over on his side, curling in on himself and willing it all to go away. He gasped and groaned as wave after wave of the pain washed over him...until slowly the worst of it began to recede, each wave coming further apart as his body finally settled and adjusted to his new form.

Slowly he relaxed, though he still had a pounding headache and his aching body resisted any quick movements. He finally managed to roll over and push himself up, first onto his knees, then, stumbling a little, onto his new strangely-shaped feet. He stood there for a moment, swaying unsteadily, his legs trying to decide if it was worth the fight of keeping him upright. Not knowing what to do with his hands, he stuffed them into the pockets of the blue hoodie he was wearing. Finally he steadied himself and was able to look around.

His eyes came to rest on the only other being present in the room, sitting on the floor against the wall, and everything stopped for a moment.

He was stunning. He was long and lanky and his outfit seemed a bit ridiculous, but even that had a strange charm. A thin circle of golden light hovered above his head. And those wings. Large and orange-gold, though one seemed to be drooping a bit. Sans imagined that they must be very soft. This other stared at Sans with a mixture of alarm, anxiety and, above it all, intense concern. Sans could feel the innocence and goodness radiating off of him.

Sans hated him. He knew instinctively that he was supposed to despise this shining creature in front of him.

Collecting himself as best as he could, he stood a little taller, rolling forward onto the balls of his feet and looking down at the other spitefully.

"what the FUCK are you looking at?" He challenged, voice simmering with venom.

 

**********

Papyrus didn't know what to expect, but this certainly wasn't it. The...violence...with which Sans had been reborn had been jarring and unsettling. To be honest it had scared him. And then when Sans had started to scream...Papyrus could hear in that scream a level of pain he had no way of identifying with. That scream was what motivated him to act.

He immediately stood and moved to Sans' side, flustered and at a loss about how to help.

"SANS? OH NO! SANS! WHAT DO I DO? ARE YOU OK?"

He had reached out to lay his hand on Sans' shoulder, leaning in, wanting to help. Sans jerked at the touch, bellowed, and then rounded on him, striking out with his arm. Even though Sans was a good head shorter than Papyrus, he was incredibly strong, and the arm caught Papyrus and flung him back into the wall. Papyrus cried out as he hit the wall solidly and slid back down into a sitting position, stunned, one wing badly bruised.

Well that hadn't gone well.

Papyrus sat there, dazed, for a good length of time. When his eyes were finally able to focus, he saw that Sans was struggling to his feet. He looked around absently for a moment before his gaze settled on Papyrus. There was a pause as they stared at each other for a breath of time. Papyrus finally got the chance to get a good look at what Sans had become.

It was definitely still Sans in many ways, but much had changed. He now had two thick, curved horns that started from just above the temples on his skull, then curved slightly up and then back down before coming to sharp points. Instead of the even, friendly smile and kind face the living Sans had, this Sans had a mouth full of sharp jagged teeth and a feral glint in the twin points of lights that were his eyes. He did have wings, but they were nothing like Papyrus', being much smaller and leathery. Trailing behind him and lashing to and fro was a long whip-like tail that ended in a flat, sharp-looking wedge of bone.

Sans' eyes narrowed, his expression becoming hard and cold. It sent a small shiver up Papyrus' spine from the tip of his tail bone to the base of his skull. That was not a very nice look. And did he suddenly seem taller?

"what the FUCK are you looking at?" Sans had demanded

And because Papyrus couldn't honestly do anything other than speak his mind, he responded immediately.

"I'M LOOKING AT YOU OF COURSE. WHAT ELSE WOULD I BE LOOKING AT?"

The question didn't have a hint of sarcasm or snark to it. If anything the tone implied that the question was a silly one. It was just a matter of course that Papyrus would be looking at Sans after all that had happened.

"AND THAT'S NOT A REALLY NICE WAY TO TALK TO SOMEONE."

"why the hell should i care?" came the biting response.

Papyrus huffed a little as he got to his feet. Secretly, though, even though Sans didn't seem completely friendly at the moment, Papyrus was thrilled and delighted. Sans could see him! He could hear him! And Papyrus had been able to touch him! Papyrus flexed his hand at this thought. If he could just show him that he was friendly and his intentions were only good...

Mind resolute, he smiled at Sans and took a step forward.

****************************

Sans didn't like that at all.

Intimidation wasn't working, he just didn't get the hint.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go.

It really pissed him off. His bones ached and his head hurt and couldn't this smiling idiot tell he just wanted to be left alone? His emotions and magic still hadn't calmed either. He could feel it all swirling within him, and the internal tension was getting more and more taught as he continued to fish for a way to get this guy to just go away.

He watched in increasing disbelief as the other guy got up and held his arms out to Sans, an enthusiastic grin on his face as he spoke.

"IT IS SO GOOD TO FINALLY BE ABLE TO TALK TO YOU LIKE THIS, SANS! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AND I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO BE YOUR FRIEND."

What the hell? How did this guy know his name? Sans was positive he had never met this person before in his life. Admittedly, he didn't have much to work with there, but still...And friends? Sans was absolutely sure that every action he had taken so far had made it pretty clear that "friends" was not an option on the table.

And then this guy, this...Papyrus began to approach him.

As the frustration grew, Sans could almost hear the snap of that internal cord of control. All the swirling emotion and magic that had been simmering under the the surface forced its way up and out. Sans completely lost it. Rage took over, his left eye flashed blue and gold as he shouted at Papyrus.

"WHY DON'T YOU JUST FUCK OFF ALREADY!"

In his rage he gave a sharp gesture and he felt the pent up magic in him leave in a sudden burst, sending a vicious bone attack in Papyrus' direction. He didn't see the attack connect, though, because as the energy left him, his legs finally agreed that no, it was not in their best interest to continue supporting him, and gave way. He crumpled to the floor, panting and completely drained, both emotionally and physically. The glow in his eye flickered and went out.

That...might not have been the best decision.

He looked up, hoping to at least see that his attack had resulted in some satisfying damage in his opponent. What he saw, however, was disappointing to say the least.

Papyrus must have seen the attack coming just in time and had thrown his arm up reflexively in a warding gesture. His own depleted magic had flared in response to the attack, summoning a barrier of blue bones barely strong enough to catch and disperse the fast moving attack. Once the danger was gone, Papyrus had also sunk to the floor in a sitting position, hands bracing himself against the floor in front of him to keep from collapsing completely. He stared ahead with and exhausted, glazed look on his face. They both sat there for a while, trying to catch their breath.

Papyrus was the first to speak.

"W-WOWIE! THAT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE, SANS. AND I...DIDN'T KNOW I COULD DO THAT EITHER."

Papyrus considered his own hands for a moment, then looked up. Sans was flabbergasted to see open wonder and admiration in that look. It was comical.

"snrk...heheheh..." Sans chuckled. This guy was just ridiculous. And apparently completely harmless.

He looked back up at Papyrus, smirking.

"what kind of idiot are you? you do know i was trying to kill you, right?"

Papyrus thought about that statement.

"I GUESS. BUT YOU DIDN'T KILL ME. IT WAS MY FAULT FOR TRYING TO GET CLOSE WHEN YOU WERE SO...MURDERY." his brows furrowed for a moment with concern "YOU OBVIOUSLY WEREN'T FEELING WELL."

"tch. whatever"

There was silence for a time, then Papyrus spoke up again.

"FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I STILL WANT TO BE FRIENDS."

"not happening."

"OH."

Papyrus looked crestfallen for a moment, then brightened back up.

"WELL, IS THERE SOME WAY I CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE AT LEAST? I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AFTER ALL, I'M SURE I CAN HELP IN SOME WAY."

Sans turned it over in his mind. He still hated Papyrus and had every intention of ditching the walking feather-duster the first chance he got, but it might be a good idea to get some information while he could. Sans literally knew nothing outside of this most recent set of events, and that unnerved him.

"fine. answer my questions, then."

"OKAY."

"so, for starters, what the hell are you supposed to be?"

"I THINK I'M AN ANGEL?"

"you think?"

"WELL, I CAN ONLY REMEMBER THE PAST FEW DAYS. I MET THIS ONE PERSON. HE WAS KIND OF LIKE YOU, AND HE CALLED ME ANGEL. I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD AT FIRST, SINCE MY NAME IS PAPYRUS, BUT THEN I THOUGHT MAYBE HE WASN'T SAYING MY NAME, BUT WHAT I WAS. I'M NOT SURE, THOUGH"

That was important. There were others like himself. He filed that piece of information away.

"so if you're an angel, what am i supposed to be?"

"OH! THAT'S EASY. ASRIEL TOLD ME THAT. YOU'RE A DEMON."

"ah. how do you know my name? i've never met you before in my life."

Papyrus hesitated before answering, casting a sad, worried glance at the floor just behind Sans. Sans glanced in the direction Papyrus had looked and saw the rumpled pile of clothing and dust. What did that have to do with anything? Though it was odd that something like that would be there. Sans turned back to Papyrus and gave him a piercing glare.

"i thought you said you wanted to help."

Papyrus flinched, looking guilty. His answer came slowly, and it was a long one. Sans listened intently as Papyrus related the events of the past few days. When he finished, Sans looked back at the pile of clothes incredulously.

"bullshit."

"PARDON ME?"

"i said bullshit. this guy, this other Sans you mentioned. there's no way i'm him. for one, i'd never act like such a wet rag."

"I'M NOT LYING. LOOK, YOU'RE EVEN WEARING THE SAME CLOTHES."

Couldn't deny that. Sans decided to let it go. He shrugged.

"whatever. doesn't matter anyway, since i don't remember a thing. at the very least it was a different life, and a different guy."

There was an awkward silence. As he thought over all that he had learned, Sans realized that some of his energy was returning. Everything still ached like a bitch, but he figured that would take some time to work itself out. He lurched to his feet, and found that he was once again able to stand.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"

"dunno. somewhere that's not here."

Sans gave Papyrus another look, realizing there was one more thing he was curious about

"one more question, though. i get the wings and all, they're practical, but what is that" he pointed to the ring of light above Papyrus' head "supposed to do?"

"WHAT?" Papyrus looked up. The ring moved with his head, staying stubbornly out of sight. "I DON'T SEE ANYTHING."

Oh this was rich. Sans saw the opportunity and took it, eyes sparking in mischief.

"buddy, i'm telling you it's there. it's right above your own skull."

Papyrus started to get flustered, looking up and turning his head this way and that in confusion, looking for what Sans was talking about. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SANS? THERE'S NOTHING THERE."

Sans was fighting to keep a straight face. This was priceless...hilarious. His mind didn't allow him to acknowledge the final word: _adorable_.

"well, it kind of moves around when you move your head. maybe you can grab it?"

This added a whole new level of entertainment. He watched as Papyrus began to feel for and swipe at the unseen thing above his head, missing in the worst way, the consternation becoming ever more apparent on his face. Sans' grin was getting wider every moment as he watched. He began to offer "helpful" advice.

"a little more to the right. aw, just missed it. you were too low on that one. a little higher. too bad, you almost had it that time..."

After a few more moments, Sans couldn't help himself anymore. He began to crack up.

"heh...heheheheheheheheh..." He bent over, clutching his stomach. "you...look so ridiculous...i'm dying here..."

Finally he regained enough composure to look back up. Papyrus was looking at him, absolutely scandalized.

"YOU'RE TEASING ME!" he accused

Sans shoved his hands into his pockets and gave Papyrus a lazy grin.

"that is entirely possible," he shrugged, unapologetic "maybe even probable"

He looked at Papyrus smugly, and...oh, geez, was that a POUT?

Yes, it most definitely was. The great Papyrus was pouting with his arms crossed over his chest. Sans had to fight again not to laugh.

"well, it's there, you're just too useless to get hold of it." he sniped

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU. I BET IT WAS NEVER THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE."

Sans gave a sigh of irritation. He strode over to the sitting angel, getting very close, very quickly. Suddenly, his face was only inches away from Papyrus' face, his focused, intense gaze meeting Papyrus' startled one. There was a soft sound as Papyrus' wings fluffed in alarm, cheekbones flushing a bit. Sans grabbed Papyrus' wrist and guided his hand up till it was touching the glowing ring above his head.

"right...there..." His voice was a low rumble.

Then, just as suddenly, Sans had stepped away. Once again, there was distance between them. He watched as Papyrus felt at the ring above his head. He tugged at it experimentally. While it seemed to remain in relatively the same position if left alone, it was apparently not immovable. Papyrus was able to pull it far enough to finally see it. He looked at it wonderingly.

"IT'S LIKE THE ONE ASRIEL HAS. IT FEELS KIND OF TINGLY." He let go of it and it slowly gravitated back to it's original position.

"well, i guess that means you have no idea what it's for, then. question answered."

Sans turned to go, and Papyrus immediately got to his feet to follow.

"WAIT! I'M COMING WITH YOU."

Sans looked over his shoulder. Once again he was glaring, the light in the one eye that Papyrus could see focused on him.

"no."

"WELL YOU CAN'T STOP ME." Papyrus was stubborn.

"heh. that may be so." Sans acknowledged "but i'm telling you now, if you won't leave me alone and keep following me..."

That single light in his eye went completely out.

" Y o u ' r e  G o n n a  H a v e  a  B a d  T i m e . "

He walked away, leaving Papyrus standing frozen behind him.

************************************

Papyrus was once again caught in indecision.

This Sans was obviously not the same Sans from before. The kindness and warmth were gone, replaced by someone completely and totally different from anything he had expected. This Sans was rude, snarky and full of a wildness and malice that made Papyrus uncomfortable. He also didn't seem to want either Papyrus' help or friendship.

Papyrus gave the remains nearby another sad look, his soul still mourning for that prior Sans. Then he rubbed at his wrist where this new Sans had touched him, remembering how close he had gotten.

There was so much he didn't understand. He didn't know anything about this new reborn Sans or what he wanted.

But Papyrus was a person honest with his own feelings. He knew what he wanted.

And what he wanted was to be with Sans. He wanted to make sure that this Sans was happy in a way the prior Sans could not be. Acknowledging these feelings made the decision an easy one.

Once more, Papyrus began to follow Sans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I re-read this thing to myself every other paragraph I typed. I reworked the dialogue and such a few times till I came up with something I think I'm happy with. 
> 
> Man the peaceful process of Papyrus' rebirth didn't take up nearly as much space as it did for Sans' rebirth. Demon rebirth is a bit more turbulent and complex, I guess...and the angst, of course. To my credit I did try to balance it out with some fluff and maybe a dash of self-indulgent fan-service there near the end. (~_^)
> 
> As always, feedback is appreciated. I really enjoy reading and responding to all your comments.


	7. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Papyrus continue their journey. Sans tries multiple ways to get rid of him...
> 
> *If you haven't noticed, I'm not too good at this summary thing** :-P

Sans' first reaction to the discovery that Papyrus was following him was annoyance. Where all angels this dense? On the other hand, he realized that there was nothing he could do to back up his previous threat with the way he was currently feeling...yet.

 

So he ignored him.

 

Though neither of them were in the greatest condition, Sans was definitely better off, having not spent days following a weepy moral around. He used that to his advantage, putting up as grueling a pace as his aching body would allow. He could hear Papyrus huff and occasionally stumble behind him, struggling to keep up. He made a point of not looking at or giving any indication that he noticed Papyrus was even there, hoping that the bedraggled angel would eventually collapse and give up altogether.

 

He didn't realize that he had one very determined angel on his hands.

 

It wasn't too long before he began to realize that he was also having trouble keeping the current pace. He had to stop for a rest. They were in the midst of a large underground city and Sans settled himself in on the ground with his back to a wall overlooking the many structures that spread before him. Everything was dark and dead quiet. His tail tapped the stone tile as he considered the size of this new world around him, and here he barely knew a damned thing about it.

 

He heard the clatter of bones as Papyrus finally caught up and collapsed in exhaustion a short distance away. It occurred to him that now would probably be the best time to lose him. He doubted from the sound of him that Papyrus could stand up again right now. But he honestly couldn't be assed to do it. He was pretty worn out himself and the idea of forcing himself to continue because one stubborn angel wouldn't do what was good for himself and quit rankled him.

 

He knew from listening to Papyrus' account that apparently sleep wasn't a necessity for them, but something told him it definitely couldn't hurt in his current state, either. So, he closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off for a while. He found he liked it quite a bit, and he allowed himself to sink deeper.

 

He didn't know how long he slept, but he woke to feel a pleasant warmth radiating from his right side. He opened his eyes groggily and looked over.

 

What. the. hell.

 

While he had been sleeping, Papyrus had moved closer and was now similarly sitting against the wall not a foot away. He had apparently decided to follow Sans' lead and was snoring softly with his head cradled on his arms over his drawn up knees. His wings were half wrapped around himself, though Sans couldn't tell if that was for comfort or warmth. Sans felt irritation at the invasion of his space and his first instinct was to lash out at the sleeping angel and teach him a lesson he wouldn't soon forget. But then his eyes were caught by the wing closest to him. Soft orange-gold, with large, beautiful feathers. Sans was fascinated. He slowly reached out toward the wing. His eyes flicked to Papyrus' face. No sign of waking.

 

Ah, Fuck it, he decided.

  

Moving quickly, he closed the small distance, took one of the large feathers in his hand and gave a sharp yank.

  

"NYAAAAAAH!" Papyrus yelped in pain and leapt to his feet, reaching around to clutch at the spot Sans had taken the feather from. After prodding at the spot for a few moments with tears in his eyes, he gave Sans' an outraged look. Sans simply stood there, hands in his pockets and a shit-eating grin on his face. He was obviously enjoying the scene.

  

"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR!?" Papyrus' voice had risen an octave.

  

Sans shrugged.

  

"saw a chicken i figured needed plucking...i thought i told you to leave me alone."

  

"I AM LEAVING YOU ALONE. OR, AT LEAST I WAS UNTIL YOU DID THAT. THE GREAT PAPYRUS JUST HAPPENS TO BE WALKING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS YOU, THAT'S ALL!" He declared. He was still rubbing at his wing.

  

Sans quirked an eyebrow at him.

  

"right. well, it would be nice if the _great papyrus_ would flutter off the other way, or i'll do worse than just yanking all your feathers out." He growled before turning and stalking off again.

  

They continued walking, Sans pushing ahead at the lead and Papyrus still persistently trailing behind him.

  

Things were changing around them. In the time they had spent resting, the residents of the city had begun to filter back in from wherever they had been hiding. The mood was somber, many of the passing monsters looking drained, tired and lost. So many lives had been snuffed out that all of the survivors had someone: friend, family, acquaintances...that had been lost in the tragedy. Various sounds of mourning, ranging from quiet sobbing to mournful wailing could be heard as remains were found and identified.  They could hear whispers of information as they passed.

  

_The human..._

  

_terrible...so many..._

  

_...suddenly disappeared...._

  

_...where'd it go..._

  

_will it come back?_

  

The fear underneath it all was almost palpable. Not knowing where the human had gone, what had happened to it, denied closure and made the victims wonder when the other shoe would drop. Rumors flew that the human was still out there...somewhere...waiting for the chance to strike. There were nothing but questions and not nearly enough answers to go around. Everyone was tense.

  

Sans whistled, impressed.

  

"damn. that human thing really went on a rampage, didn't they? they must have been something else to look at."

  

Papyrus gave no response. Sans shot a glance back at him over his shoulder, wondering what had happened.

  

Papyrus was watching the people passing by, his face filled with a mixture of sadness, compassion and concern. He was obviously resisting the urge to drop everything and help out in whatever way he could.

  

Sans was annoyed. Was this an angel thing, this indiscriminate display of unwarranted sentiment? He snorted derisively. Well, whatever...not his business. If Papyrus decided to stop here and help, all the better for him, right? No more angel to deal with. He continued on his way.

  

However, despite his inclination to do otherwise, Papyrus did not stop to help. When he realized Sans had moved on, he did too. As they got away from more populated areas, Papyrus' mood seemed to improve. He began to chatter at Sans cheerily about a million stupid little things, and Sans made every effort to tune him out and ignore him.

  

Though they had recovered quite a bit, Sans still felt the need to stop and rest occasionally. Most of the aches and pains from his rebirth had finally melted away and the headache had receded to an almost imperceptible tension behind his eyes. It was taking time, however for his magic to build up and give him a reasonable amount of stamina.

  

They had wandered into a much warmer part of the underground by this point and Sans was able to find a relatively secluded little dead end overlooking a pool of lava on all sides. This was as good a place as any. Sans sat with his feet dangling over the edge, thinking.

  

Seeing all the misery, fear and grief back in that city had given him a real thrill as he had watched. Sans wondered if there was a way for him to wring those kinds of expressions out of people. Imagining it gave him a little shiver of pleasure. Granted, the fact that he couldn't be seen or heard was a bit of a limit, but Papyrus had mentioned something about having an "effect" on others. Something about an emotional "push"? Was that only an angel thing? It was hard to tell. Papyrus had only mentioned those incidents in passing, without much detail.

  

He decided he was going to give it a try the first chance he got.

  

During this time, he could hear Papyrus muttering quietly from behind him. What broke him out of his thoughts, though, was a sudden soft buzzing sensation. It was as though an extra layer of white noise had been added to the air around them, easy to miss if one wasn't paying attention, and Sans knew somehow that it was coming from Papyrus. He couldn't resist his curiosity and turned to look.

  

Papyrus was sitting on the ground on the far end of the platform, hands held out and staring intensely in front of him in concentration. On the floor in front of him danced a little line of white and blue bones. He was practicing the magic he had used instinctively back at the judgment hall. Sans watched with interest as Papyrus manipulated the little bones into various shapes and formations. The angel had decided to have fun with it, isolating one of the bones and then sending the others at it, making the first bone jump, dodge and weave to avoid the others and giving a happy little nyeh of satisfaction when he was successful. When he tired of that, he switched to rearranging them to form words like 'The Great Papyrus' and 'Cool Dude'. Mildly amused, Sans couldn't decide if Papyrus was being diligent or silly...he supposed maybe both?

  

But DAMN he had an unholy (heh) level of control. Sans could sense that the magic wasn't particularly powerful, and it seemed to take most of Papyrus's focus and concentration to maintain what he was doing. Despite this, though, the many little bones he had conjured seemed to do exactly what he was internally directing them to with an almost unnatural level of precision. Sans wondered if he could do the same thing.

  

He slid back from the edge and positioned himself with his back to the angel. He figured Papyrus was too absorbed in what he was doing to notice much, but Sans wasn't about to be caught DEAD mimicking him. He summoned his own bone magic and began to tinker around with it. While his ability to direct the little bones did seem to improve with use, he was nowhere near on the same level control as Papyrus. He did gain a bit of satisfaction out of the fact that HIS magic seemed to have a more sizable amount of force to it, though. However as time passed, he simply grew more and more frustrated with the fact that he could never quite get them to do exactly what he wanted.  
  
He shot another glance over his shoulder at Papyrus, who was still lost in what he was doing with his own magic. He felt a wave of envy over the fact that this pansy-ass feather-factory was better at this than he was. So he came up with a more entertaining use of his time.

  

**************************

  

*tink*

  

Papyrus concentration broke and the little bone parade in font of him shattered into a hundred little points of light. His hand shot up to the back of his head.  


"OW!"

 

That stung! He looked around to try to find out what had hit him.

 

Nothing. No other creatures, no indication on where whatever-it-was had come from. The only other person here was Sans, and he was currently reclining on his side, head resting on his chin, with eyes closed. By all appearances, napping. Papyrus was puzzled that Sans would fall asleep again. It was one thing when they were both strung out like earlier, but they didn't really NEED to sleep, so why would he? There were better things to do.

  

He looked up, the ceiling of the cavern almost too high to see. A pebble or stone, perhaps?

  

Well, thinking about it now wasn't shedding any light on it. Papyrus returned to what he was doing. He was just starting to fall back into the flow of his magic when...

  

*tink*

  

Again his magic fell apart in front of him as something once again struck the back of his head and made him wince.

  

"OUCH!"

  

He looked around again, irritated. If he could find where it was coming from...

  

Still nothing.

  

It occurred to Papyrus that whatever had struck him should have fallen to the ground. He cast around in an attempt to find it. Nothing.

  

His gaze came back up again to rest on Sans. Still sleeping. Though Papyrus was beginning to suspect...

  

"SANS?"

  

The demon grumbled and opened one eye lazily. His tail switched back and forth a few times.

  

"what? got a BONE to pick with me?"

  

".....NO... NEVER MIND, IT'S NOTHING..."

  

"then don't bother me."

  

Papyrus tried again to refocus on his magic, but it seemed like every time he would start falling into rhythm, it would happen again.

  

*tink*

  

Each time he turned to find the source, he was unsuccessful. His thoughts kept coming back to Sans, but the demon still seemed to be settled into his nap and Papyrus didn't feel it would be fair to accuse him without proof. He tried ignoring it. Maybe whatever would go away.

  

*tink*

  

.....

  

*tink* *tink*

  

Ok, It was definitely not going away.

  

Finally, Papyrus thought of an idea. Maybe if he could divide his attention a little more...So he put half the effort into his bone magic and waited.

  

Sure enough, he felt a sudden sensation, faint, like a vibration or humming in the air. He could tell it was coming from Sans, behind him.

  

"NYEH HEH HEH! I'VE CAUGHT YOU SANS!" he turned around triumphantly, only to be nailed on the forehead between the eyes.

  

*tink*

  

The small bone that had hit him faded as it fell to the ground. Papyrus could see that Sans had raised his head off of his hand, a smirk on his face. There was a second missile, a small spinning white bone,  hovering above his right hand. His left hand was at the ready, prepared to flick the small bone at Papyrus.

  

Sans eyes widened in surprise as the last bone struck Papyrus' forehead, causing Papyrus' eyes to cross for a moment in an attempt to see what had hit him. He apparently hadn't expected for him to turn around so soon.

  

There was an awkward pause.

  

"pfft.....hehheheheheheheheheh...." Sans started laughing, falling over onto his back with his arm covering his face. His tail curled and straightened, beating the floor in mirth. "that stupid look on your face!" he wheezed.

  

Though he was upset at first, as Papyrus watched him, much of the concern he had been feeling recently began to melt away. Watching Sans' rebirth had shaken Papyrus, making him think that maybe demons were somehow unhappy or in pain much of the time. Looking at it now, that simply was not true. Sans was still confusingly rough around the edges, snappish and rude. He still made Papyrus uncomfortable in a lot of ways. But unhappiness seemed not to be part of it.

  

Papyrus did like to watch him laugh like this, even if it was at his own expense. Sans' laughter was a contagious low rumble, and though Papyrus did not share Sans' sense of humor, it still made him smile.

  

*****************************************

  

Once Sans was done laughing, he sat up and looked at Papyrus. He expected the same outrage from earlier. It had become worth hearing Papyrus squawk at him to see those expressions on his face. They were priceless.

  

If the bonehead was going to stick around, Sans figured he might as well get a few chuckles out of him in the process of trying to drive him off.

  

Instead, the fool was smiling at him! He'd just been chucking bone magic at him, and none too softly, and he was smiling? Sans own grin died as he tried to wrap his mind around it.

  

"what are you smiling at?"

  

"WHY YOU OF COURSE! NYEH HEH HEH. IT'S GOOD TO HEAR YOU LAUGH. I WAS WORRIED YOU WERE...UNHAPPY."

  

The direct and honest answer startled Sans, and he felt a light flush tinge his cheekbones. He faltered for a few moments before the irritation returned and he found the words he needed next.

  

"what the hell made you think i was unhappy?" Sans said, actually feeling somewhat offended.

  

"WELL, EARLIER...YOU DIDN'T SEEM TO BE FEELING WELL, AND I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE BEING A DEMON WAS...UNPLEASANT..."

  

"well, you do know what they say about assuming..."

  

"WHAT IS THAT?" Papyrus asked, curious.

  

"..ah, fuck...never mind. it's wasted on you."

  

Sans took a deep breath. What Papyrus said was really rubbing him the wrong way.

  

"listen, _angel_ " and Sans poured all the derision he could into that term "i've already told you more than a few times to go away. if you're following me out of some misplaced sense of pity, then you really need to fuck off. NOW."

  

"NO. I'M FOLLOWING YOU BECAUSE I WANT TO. I STILL WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND, EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE MINE. I WAS JUST WORRIED."

  

"you make no sense!"

  

"WELL NEITHER DO YOU."

  

Again the words caught Sans off guard. Not angry, just level and honest. This time he couldn't find a response. Dammit he was so infuriating!

  

He finally resorted to that tried and true method of getting out of any uncomfortable situation...avoidance. Heaving a sigh of frustration, Sans turned himself around and began to watch all of the interesting nothing going on in the lava below.

  

He felt Papyrus' eyes linger on him for a while longer before he felt the familiar buzz of his magic resume. He had gone back to his practicing. This time, though, Sans was sure he'd be 'listening' for him, so the game was over.

  

Sans continued to simmer as he thought. All he knew is that no matter what he did or said or threatened, Papyrus just wasn't going to give up. He felt an overwhelming desire to just get away. The problem would be solved if he could just put enough distance between them. He glanced back up at Papyrus, who was once again absorbed in what he was doing. Now was as good a time as any.

  

So quickly, silently and without being noticed, he simply got up and walked away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, yeah...it's official.
> 
> I like the whole Sans-loves-to-screw-with-Papyrus thing I have going here. <3
> 
> Papyrus' wonderful way of reacting is part of what makes him so endearing. Though Sans is giving him a bit of a rough time right now.
> 
> Felt pretty good writing this one...now the next chapter...*worried look*


	8. Offer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans has an adventure. Stuff happens...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoookay....so....
> 
> remember the notes on the first chapter about writing things I am not used to...
> 
> yeah...
> 
> Gonna put a **TRIGGER WARNING** here for verbal references to rape/noncon

Sans backtracked a ways till he came to one of the disused caves that led off away from the main path. This seemed a good place to try to throw Papyrus off.

He veered into the cavern and walked further in. The light was dim, even flickering in some spots, and he was unsure how far he would go before he wouldn't be able to see anything, but his vision slowly adjusted to the lower lighting.

It wasn't ideal, but he could see passably well.

Being able to see did a lot for Sans' confidence, and he continued on further. The side cavern was silent except for the sound of Sans steps, and he felt some relief. Just him and his thoughts, for the first time since...well, since he came to be.

He wasn't alone for long. Sans became aware of a strange scrabbling, slithering sound following him. He also felt a slightly heavier presence from behind, and he quickened his steps, but realized after a short while that he wasn't losing his new stalker. He sure as hell wasn't going to just take off running, so he turned to face it, curling his tail around his feet defensively, only it's twitching tip giving away his unease.

"who the hell are you and what the fuck do you want?" he called.

"Haha..." The...laugh emerged from the dark and Sans winced at the sound. It was like a pipe slowly leaking water and air at the same time, breathy, wheezy and very wet. "You are perceptive."

"not in the slightest. cut the bullshit. you wanted me to hear you." Sans glared toward the voice. The owner was still just out of his range of sight.

"Guilty as charged." The other said.

Finally it moved close enough for Sans to see it. He was surprised to see it crawling along the ceiling, staring at him with two large, bulbous eyes. A wide, gaping mouth lay above those eyes with many crooked teeth. A long globby tongue could be seen through the gaps in those teeth. It had two little nobs on it's head that Sans could only barely call horns and a small pair of slimy dripping wings on his back. And Sans had thought the voice was bad. That face was unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.

Well, apparently not all reborn monsters looked like him and Papyrus. Sans secretly hoped most of them looked better than this, though. He sure as shit wasn't going to trust this guy, not that he really trusted anyone. He focused again as the demon continued to speak, though the other demon's voice grated on his ears. It was painfully discordant.

"You seem to have an angel problem" the demon observed.

Sans didn't want to reveal any more than he had to

"what of it?"

"You think you've lost him, but he's going to find you. He's already heading this way. I was watching. He can sense you, you're not far enough."

Watching them? How hadn't Sans noticed that? Oh, yeah, the whole crawling on the ceiling thing, he supposed it worked on walls as well. He wondered if he could do that, too. He added it to the list. It nettled him that they had been followed all this time without his knowing.

"what's your point?" Sans snapped

The other demon gave a wet chuckle, and it's grotesque tongue slipped out of it's mouth as it grinned at him.

"I could help you with your problem. He's coming this way anyways. Help me Catch him. Let me have him. He'll never bother you again."

Sans snorted.

"he's annoying as fuck! why would you want him?"

The demon turned his head and regarded him closely with one of his large glistening eyes. Sans thought he could see a few things in that look. Hate...jealousy...want...

"Angels make such fine toys." He crooned "They scream so prettily when you snap their wings and pull their feathers. The taste of their blood as you bite and tear at them is divine. They squirm so wonderfully when you fuck them, and their crying makes it so much sweeter. They also heal nicely, so you can break them over and over and over again." He laughed wetly again, lost in his dark fantasy. His claws flexed in anticipation, and a little shower of dirt and pebbles pattered down to the floor below him. "What's not to like?"

Sans remained silent. He considered the options. He couldn't honestly say that the other demon's offer didn't appeal to him on some level. His soul actually pulsed with excitement as the other demon had spoken about what he wanted to do to the angel. And the mental image of Papyrus broken and begging at his feet sparked a dark flame in him that ached to burn through his bones.

"What?" The demon said when he noticed Sans had been quiet for a while. "Have you never considered the possibilities? He is too strong for one of us, but we could work together...If you want, we could even share..."

"nope, not interested in what you're sellin'." Sans answered flatly

"Why not?" The other demon's voice bubbled in disbelief. He was beginning to sound petulant.

"heh. i can see you're fairly DRIPPING with enthusiasm, there, but the reason is pretty simple..it's because i neither need...or WANT your help."

The other demon went silent at this, but if the glare was anything to go by, Sans knew this was far from over. He hoped his assessment of what was going on around him was accurate. If so, this demon was probably a pushover, the weakest of the lot pushed forward unwillingly...expendible. He tensed up, trying to make himself ready for anything. His eyes glanced back behind him for a brief moment, deeper into the cavern. Nothing...yet.

Then the demon began to laugh again, louder this time, as though he found something wonderfully hilarious. He sneered at Sans.

"What? Are you planning on befriending him?! Are you gonna let him follow you around like a little puppy dog? It doesn't work that way. If this continues, he'll work at you, little by little, till you become a weak, snivelling shadow of what you once were. You'll be on your best behavior, just to keep him happy, his little feather-pet!~" he twisted the tone of the last words into a mock-cutesy voice. "Then you'll be..."

*WHAM!*

Sans hit him with a bone attack so quickly that he didn't have the chance to dodge it. It knocked him off of the ceiling and he landed on the rock floor below him with a sickening crack, where he squirmed and cried out in pain. As the demon had been speaking, Sans had felt the rage building inside him. This guy had real balls, trying to tell HIM what to do. And then calling him weak! At the demon's last sentence, Sans temper had finally snapped, and he had attacked. Now that the other demon was on the floor, Sans conjured a row of blue bones and pressed them down hard on him from above, barely giving the demon the room to breathe.

Sans' left eye glowed blue and gold, wisps of energy trailing up his face and into the darkness. His smile was predatory.

"might not want to move. they don't hurt unless you move"

The demon ceased his struggling. Of course there was no way for him to remain completely still, as he gasped for breath, his mouth hanging open and his tongue still hanging out limply. It still had to hurt like hell. Sans approached and crouched down, looking his captive squarely in one of his large, bulging eyes.

"you were saying?"

The other demon gurgled in reply, frightened beyond coherent speech.

"yeah, i know buddy, you must be real TONGUE-TIED. here, let me help you with that..."

With a flash of his tail, Sans deftly used the razor-sharp end to slice through the demons tongue. It flopped uselessly to the floor as the demon screeched in pain and terror. He renewed his struggling, which of course re-ignited the pain from the blue bones pressing into his front. Blood spattered the floor of the cavern as the severed stump of the demon's tongue waggled to and fro almost comically as he thrashed.

Sans waited for the demon to stop fighting again. He was wondering what he was going to do next when he heard a sound, still far off, but reverberating down the corridor.

"...ANS..."

Sans sighed in frustration. That would be Papyrus. Seems the demon had been right in his prediction of the angel's ability to find him. He looked back down at the demon.

"tell you what. you've done me a big favor, letting me blow off some steam like this. i'm gonna head in that direction." Sans pointed towards the entrance "don't follow, you got me?"

The demon nodded weakly

"i imagine the magic will wear off as i get further away. if what i feel behind me means anything, i imagine your buddies are watchin' from further down and listening to this conversation, am i right?"

Another weak nod.

"good. they need to know this."

The glow in Sans' left eye intensified as his voice dropped to a low, threatening growl.

"the angel is MY problem, and MY problem alone. i will deal with him in whatever way I decide to, with no interference from anyone else, got it? M Y P R O B L E M."

Again the nod, this time with a whimper.

Sans got up and walked away down the cavern in the direction he had come from originally. Once he got a sufficient distance away, he flexed his magic one more time before letting go. There was a sharp scream punctuated by a sickening, wet crunch that echoed back from behind him.

"oops, really do need to work on my control." Sans muttered to himself, smiling.

**************

"SANS!"

Papyrus called once more from the entrance of the tunnel he had found. He could faintly feel that Sans had gone this way. Papyrus was pretty used to how Sans' presence felt in comparison with anyone else's and as long as he didn't get too far ahead of him, Papyrus felt confident he could find him. He had called a few times with no answer.

There was a sudden loud sound from inside the cave that made Papyrus jump in fright. If his bone face could have turned pale, it would have. Was that a scream? Was Sans in pain again? Did he need help?

Papyrus, worked nearly into a tizzy with worry, was just about to go in after him when Sans emerged into view, strode confidently past him and came to a stop at the main path. He looked around as though trying to get his bearings.

"well that dead end was a fuckin' waste of my time..." he announced aloud, as though to himself

Papyrus whirled around and stared at Sans, looking him up and down for any sign of injury. 

Nothing. Sans was uninjured.

Sans was fine.

Papyrus was flooded with a glorious wash of relief and joy. He didn't even think. He just reacted.

He strode up behind Sans, his long legs covering the distance in a few steps, and in one motion scooped the short demon up in an enthusiastic hug.

"OH SANS! I WAS SO WORRIED! I THOUGHT YOU WERE HURT OR IN TROUBLE. OF COURSE, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD HAVE COME TO RESCUE YOU, BUT IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU'RE OKAY!"

************

Sans was apoplectic. He was a hissing, spitting, flustered bundle of bones in a blue hoodie. 

He had just been standing there, considering his next move when all of a sudden he felt a lurch as he was lifted bodily into the air in the arms of the angel. 

Arms squeezing him tightly and warmth behind and Papyrus' face next to his over his shoulder and the idiot babbling something about being worried. He was surrounded by the smell of feathers and clean bone...and it felt kind of nice but...

Hell no. Nuh-uh, nope. Abso-fuckin'-luetly NOT. This was not okay. His mind and soul and pride shouted resistance at this unwanted display of affection. 

WHAT THE FUCK WAS THIS GUYS PROBLEM!?

He struggled in Papyrus' arms. Damn, the angel was stronger than he thought, and he was so caught up in how happy he was that Sans was safe that he hardly seemed to notice Sans' having a unholy fit trying to get away. His tail lashed in all directions and his face had turned a bright shade of blue.

It was a good minute before he could string together more than a series of incomprehensible, enraged syllables.

"gh...what...w-what the hell! damn it all! Put me down...you idiot angel...DROP ME ALREADY!"

Papyrus seemed to finally realize what he was doing and put San down. He stepped away, looking sheepish.

Sans leaped backwards and away from the angel and whirled around in a defensive posture, small wings stretched out wide in aggression and tail scraping across the ground in anger. He was panting from his previous exertion to get away and his face was still flushed. 

"I-I'M SORRY, SANS! IT'S JUST THAT YOU WENT MISSING AND THEN I COULDN'T FIND YOU AND THERE WAS THIS SCREAM..I THOUGHT YOU WERE IN TROUBLE...AND THEN I WAS JUST SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU WERE OKAY!"

"don't EVER do that again." Sans growled

"WHY NOT?"

"just...DON'T"

"...."

Sans began to calm down again. He straightened himself and shoved his hands back into his pockets, still glaring.

Papyrus looked back at the cave, worried.

"THERE WAS A SCREAM..."

"i didn't hear anything."

"BUT..."

"i'm leaving."

Sans made good on his word. Papyrus looked between the cave and Sans a couple more times before running to catch up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did I really write that....  
> yup...I wrote that...  
> I know it was like a whole 3-4 sentences of dialogue and I probably shouldn't be so anxious about it but...augh.
> 
> That thing was not nice...I didn't like it...though that was the point I guess...and don't get me wrong, he felt necessary to the story to highlight a few things...but still...
> 
> Yeah, I needed the chapter to end that way...Papyrus hugs are the best, even if Sans doesn't agree (yet).
> 
> Feedback is DEFINITELY appreciated on this one. (o_o)
> 
> Edit: seriously, thank you guys for the nice comments and thanks for dealing with my attacks of confidence... Especially this one. You're all great


	9. Discussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans thinks things over, and decides to have a talk with Papyrus.

Sans was somewhat relieved to get away from the cave. He felt the presence of the other demons just beyond their sight, watching them. He knew they had to be fairly pissed off after that little display. Now that Sans had discovered they had been watched his defenses were up, feeling for even the barest twinge of change in the atmosphere around them. 

He was agitated. Too much had happened all at once. His adrenaline was still pumping from the decisive dunking he had given the other demon, and his emotions were still roiling from their conversation. Finally, he was uncomfortably warm, though he attributed that to the vigorous effort he had put into getting away from Papyrus.

He kept his expression even. The last thing he needed was for Papyrus to find out. That could only end in small number of unpleasant results, the most likely being that Papyrus would want to approach them with some insane intention of offering them his friendship. He would quickly be torn up into a million smiling little shreds. He considered briefly the benefits of letting him do just that, both the perfect distraction and solution to his current angel problem, except...

Those other demons had really wanted to get their hands on Papyrus. Were they on to something? Maybe he was looking at the situation in the wrong way. Was having Papyrus around actually less of a problem than he thought?

He thought back over the past couple of days. While having Papyrus follow him around and hover the way he did was grating to say the least, Sans couldn't say he hadn't gotten his fair share of entertainment out of him. He was fun to tease, and so expressive. He was also very...dedicated. While Sans hadn't really met many other angels or demons, he knew that almost any other reasonable creature would have thrown up their hands in frustration and left by now. However, Papyrus seemed to have a level of commitment to him that was mind-boggling...

And there was the first problem. Was that commitment to him? or to some idealized version of him that didn't exist anymore? 

He prickled a bit at that thought.

But did that really matter? Why not use that to his advantage? Sans realized he might be able to use that loyalty to get whatever he wanted out of him. Eventually either he would tire of Papyrus or Papyrus would figure out that Sans was anything but ideal and that would be the end of it. And the thought that Sans might even be able to corrupt such a pure soul before that happened...well, it was quite a nice thought.

_'feather-pet...'_

Sans winced internally and his temper flared. The absolute nerve of that asshole! Fuck best behaviour! Like Papyrus could ever MAKE him do anything. Sans glanced at Papyrus out of the corner of his eye. Earnest, eager to please...the only thing he professed to want in the world right now was to be friends with Sans. He seemed to be a complete pushover, but something about that determination and doggedness seemed to hint at something more, and that made Sans slightly uncomfortable.

Well, he'd just have to make it completely clear who was in charge, that was all. If the angel knew his place, then Sans had nothing to worry about. 

That decided it then.

This would end in one of two ways. Either he would finally succeed in chasing Papyrus off or he would have himself a new toy to play with. It was a win-win situation.

He and Papyrus needed to have a talk. He just needed to figure out how to bring it up.

It was almost as though Papyrus read his mind.

**************

Papyrus followed Sans for a while in silence. He was still feeling uneasy from earlier. Something had happened while they were apart. Something Sans wasn't telling him. He had thought he had seen a flash of red at the tip of Sans tail. Blood? But if it was it had quickly been scrubbed off in the dust as Sans tail swiped back and forth in irritation.

Papyrus found that Sans' tail communicated a lot about his state of mind. His eyes had been drawn to it a number of times during their times together. It was rarely still. Whenever it was at it's most active, Papyrus had wondered what would happen if he reached out and grabbed hold of it. However, that would have been incredibly rude, so he had resisted the urge.

The story that tail was telling right now was less than peaceful. Sans face was as neutral as could be expected and his posture had it's usual prowling slouch, but his tail had gone through several fascinating modes as they walked. From agitated swipes to pensive twitch to a pleased curl...then back to the swipes...this time angry. Papyrus was getting better at reading their subtle differences. 

"ARE YOU OKAY, SANS?"

Sans stopped and turned to look at Papyrus.

"huh? what do you mean?"

Papyrus looked pointedly at the tail. Sans followed his glance.

"shit."

"DID SOMETHING HAPPEN? YOU SEEM TO BE UPSET ABOUT SOMETHING...WELL, YOU USUALLY SEEM TO BE UPSET ABOUT SOMETHING, ACTUALLY, BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE A DIFFERENT KIND OF UPSET FROM THE NORMAL KIND."

"it was nothing. i'm just thinking."

The tone of Sans' voice was unnaturally even and almost civil. Papyrus found he didn't like it. This wasn't like Sans at all. He decided it was time for the speech he had been planning. 

"WELL, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT NO MATTER WHAT, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL BE THERE TO LISTEN TO ANY OF YOUR TROUBLES. SURELY I CAN BE OF HELP, FOR I AM, AFTER ALL, VERY GREAT!" 

Then he posed. He had spent a lot of time thinking of how he could pose in a way that was truly great and awe inspiring. Wings spread out, chin high, one hand on his hip and the other poised next to his waist. He smiled winningly at Sans. Maybe if he showed more confidence and positivity, Sans would be impressed and want to be friends?

Sans was staring at him, brow ridges raised and looking at him strangely.

Papryrus began to get nervous. Was it working?

"snrk...heh...oh, wow..."

Sans had started laughing again.

"heh. well, gotta give you one thing. you're always good for a chuckle."

That was not the reaction that Papyrus was expecting, but he decided to go with it. Sans was laughing, after all.

"OF COURSE! INSPIRING JOY AND LAUGHTER IS A VERY GREAT THING AFTER ALL! NYEH HEH HEH HEH~"

When Papyrus was done laughing, he noticed that Sans had become quiet. 

Sans was staring again, but this stare was worlds different from the first one. It was piercing, as though he could see right through Papyrus to the other side. He didn't know why, but there was something under that stare that made Papyrus both nervous and excited all at once. He shifted uncomfortably, flushing lightly under that gaze.

Sans sighed

"you're really not going to leave, are you?"

He wasn't yelling or cursing or even raising his voice. It was a simple statement of fact.

Papyrus felt a twinge of uncertainty. But now wasn't the time to falter. He pulled his bravado in around him like a shield. His back straightened and he returned Sans' look with one he hoped was just as serious.

"THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD BE A TERRIBLE FRIEND TO LEAVE YOU ALL BY YOURSELF. IT IS MY JOB AS YOUR FRIEND TO MAKE YOU HAPPY!"

"heh...friends, huh..."

A pause as Sans seemed to consider. Papyrus wondered...could it possibly be? He looked at Sans hopefully. 

Sans gave him a shrewd, calculating look.

"so as friends, you would want to make me happy?"

Papyrus nodded.

"that means you'd have to trust me..."

Another eager nod.

Sans smiled widely, eyes glinting.

"so you would do anything i tell you to?"

Papyrus went very still. Sans' smile faltered, and that piercing gaze returned.

Papyrus thought hard about that question. That didn't seem quite right...

After a few moments of mulling it over, he answered slowly.

"I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN PROMISE I WOULD DO ANYTHING YOU ASKED ME TO. I DON'T THINK THAT'S HOW FRIENDS WORK. BUT IF SOMETHING WERE IMPORTANT TO YOU, I WOULD TRY MY HARDEST HOWEVER I COULD. AND WHEN SOMEONE VERY GREAT TRIES THEIR HARDEST, EVERYTHING WILL TURN OUT FOR THE BEST. SO THAT'S OKAY, RIGHT?"

A cloud seemed to pass over Sans' face. Papyrus wondered if he'd said something wrong. Then as Sans seemed to think about what he'd said, the cloud cleared. The shrewd look returned.

"so if you won't do whatever i tell you, how do i know if you really trust me?"

Papyrus was at a loss. He honestly didn't know how to answer that question. Sans picked up on this immediately and jumped at the chance.

"so you don't trust me, then...i thought you wanted to be friends?"

"NO! I REALLY DO! I WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND SANS." Papyrus scrambled frantically for an idea "I KNOW! WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT I CAN DO TO SHOW I TRUST YOU?"

*************

Sans hadn't expected Papyrus to be the one to begin the conversation. Though he was grateful that he was saved that difficulty, he made a mental note to keep a better eye on his tail, it was telling way too much, and Papyrus was more observant than he had expected.

Either way, the conversation had gone much better than he had thought it would thus far. Papyrus seemed to be walking right into it all just as Sans had planned.

Until he had tried to get him to agree to do what he was told.

Papyrus had balked. 

Sans didn't like that. That feeling that there was more to him than what met the eye returned, and the uneasiness with it. This wouldn't work if he couldn't order Papyrus around however he pleased. He had felt like he was so close...Something inside him ground in frustration. He had decided to push further. Maybe he could use the trust thing...

At first the reaction had been exactly what Sans had wanted. Papyrus seemed to be backpedaling, desperately affirming that he DID want to be friends. But then he did something different.

He threw the ball back into Sans' court.

Papyrus still wasn't conceding, Sans knew that. But how could he pass this up? He thought hard about Papyrus' offer.

What could he possibly get away with? He looked Papyrus over carefully as he thought. Yet again his eyes were drawn to Papyrus' wings. Dammit. What was it about those things? 

But they had to be pretty important to him, right? He wouldn't let just anyone...

"let me touch your wings." 

The words were out before Sans knew what he was saying. He cursed at himself. He could have asked for anything, and he chose that?!

On the other hand, if Papyrus refused, Sans could use that against him. So maybe it wasn't all bad. I mean, after all, there was no way Papyrus was just gonna let him...

"IS THAT IT? SURE, YOU CAN TOUCH THEM!" 

Sans jumped.

"what? you're serious?"

"OF COURSE. WHY WOULDN'T I BE SERIOUS ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS?" Papyrus gave him a puzzled look and then paused, remembering. The look changed to one of worry. "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO YANK ANY FEATHERS?" 

Sans chuckled, he guessed he had earned that one. Not that he regretted it. The loose feather was still in his right pocket. It was his now and wasn't going anywhere in the near future. He didn't feel the need to add to his collection.

"naw. you'll still have them all when i'm done."

"OKAY, THEN."

Papyrus looked around them and spotted a nearby stone of a decent size. He trotted over to it, took a seat and turned his back to Sans, presenting his wings.

"WHENEVER YOU'RE READY!"

Sans stared, unbelieving for a moment. Papyrus just sat there, completely off-guard with his back exposed and totally willing to let Sans just walk up behind him and start poking at his wings. For the umpteenth time Sans wondered what was wrong with him.

Did he really trust him that much? After a few moments he gave up trying to figure it out and shrugged to himself.

Oh well, it was his funeral.

He approached Papyrus. Not the type to be hesitant, once he was in reaching distance he put out a hand and laid it on the surface of one wing. Papyrus started and his wings fluffed slightly.

"what was that for?"

"UM, YOU DIDN'T WARN ME SO IT WAS A BIT OF A SURPRISE."

"oh"

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. TAKE YOUR TIME."

Papyrus had turned his head and was watching Sans from the corner of his eye curiously. Sans continued, keeping one eye on Papyrus at first for any signs of hesitation or mistrust.

He placed his other hand on the wing with the first, about halfway down, over the larger Secondary feathers near the bottom. They were all the same uniform orange gold color, not overly bright, just enough to give them their own faint glow. Sans smoothed them down where they had gotten ruffled and even fingered the individual feathers curiously. Each one lay in just the right place, overlapping each other evenly and feeling silky to the touch. He moved his hands upward to the top of the wing. There the feathers were considerably smaller, and just as soft as he thought they would be. He could feel something powerful under those feathers, like muscle, but skeletons didn't have muscle...so magic maybe? There was no telling.

And underneath it all was the bone. Sans could feel how fragile and delicate that bone was under his hands. It struck him that all it would take...all he had to do was close his hands and twist and that bone would easily break in two. He imagined how Papyrus' face would contort in pain when he did so, and felt his grip tighten marginally at the compulsion to do just that...

When he suddenly realized that Papyrus had become really quiet, and that the wing under his hands was beginning to droop a bit, visibly relaxing under his touch. He looked back up at Papyrus' face and realized he was now facing straight ahead, eyes closed in peaceful contentment. Seriously? He was enjoying this?

Sans stared at him in wonderment. Here he was, fantasizing about snapping his wings in half and Papyrus was practically in a trance. Did this guy not have any sense of self preservation?

shit.

**************************************

Papyrus would be lying if he said he wasn't a little nervous. He still remembered pretty vividly the last time Sans had decided to touch his wings. 

But Sans had promised. Well, no, he really hadn't promised. But he still said he wouldn't! As a good friend, Papyrus felt he should give him the benefit of the doubt. If he said he wouldn't yank his feathers, then he wouldn't. He decided he would trust Sans.

Papyrus had sat on the rock and looked forward resolutely and calmly, waiting for Sans to make a move. When the touch came it was without warning, and it made him jump a little. 

Papyrus watched Sans over his shoulder at first. It was so intriguing to watch his expression change into one full of concentration and curiosity, so different from the way he usually looked. Where his wings really that interesting? He guessed they must be. They were a part of him after all, and he was very great! But Sans had his own wings, and while they were nothing like his own, Papyrus thought they were pretty great too. After all, they were a part of Sans just like his wings were a part of him. 

Sans' hands continued to move over his wing, smoothing and picking at the feathers. Sans hands were small and very clever as they continued to explore and Papyrus began to be aware of how good it felt. The gentle repetetive touches were soothing and Papyrus could feel himself relaxing into that pleasant physical contact. He closed his eyes and focused on that feeling, his mind humming in contentment. 

When Sans hands came to the top of his wing, they paused for a moment, and Papyrus thought he could feel a noticeable tightening of his grip. Then, suddenly, the hands were gone. Papyrus opened his eyes and blinked a few times, a little disappointed that it was over.

He turned to look at Sans. His hands were shoved into his pockets and he was regarding Papyrus with a thoughtful look he had never seen before. Papyrus wondered what was going on behind that gaze. 

"DID YOU LIKE THEM?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"eh. they were okay." Sans shrugged, eyes shifting to look to the side "nothin' special, really."

"SO DOES THIS MEAN WE'RE FRIENDS, THEN?"

Sans expression changed, now closer to what Papyrus was used to, that teasing look back in his eye.

"hmmm...dunno..."

Papyrus pouted.

"I DID WHAT YOU ASKED ME TO! I'VE SHOWN I TRUST YOU."

"heh. you know what? let me tell you something important about that. c'mere." He beckoned.

Papyrus, curious, did as he was told. He got up and stood in front of Sans, looking down at him inquisitively.

"heh. not close enough yet."

Papyrus leaned over.

"closer..."

Their faces were right next to each other now, bright eyes full of interest meeting half-lidded ones. Sans leaned in as though getting ready to tell Papyrus a secret. His voice dropped an octave, becoming a low rumble.

"that trust is going to get you killed."

And then something warm and wet dragged itself up Papyrus' face.

Papyrus yelped and straightened reflexively, hand clapping to the side of his face. What in the heck was that?! He stared at Sans, confounded and trying to figure out what had just happened. 

Sans was grinning at him, left eye glowing a vibrant blue. His mouth was slightly open and the tip of what could only be a tongue poked out at the corner, made of shimmering blue magic.

All time and thought seemed to stop for a moment as Papyrus looked at that glowing eye. Something about that blue glow seemed to catch and hold him where he stood. He watched as wisps of blue magic trailed slowly up from that eye into the air before dissipating into nothing. He felt his face flush a bright shade of orange. 

Unable to contain himself any longer, Sans cracked up. Time began to move again.

"hehehehehe...i don't think i'll ever get tired of that...heheheheheh"

"W-WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!" 

Sans shrugged and gave Papyrus a smug look.

"i told you. that attitude of yours is going to get you killed. do you know how many times in the last ten minutes i could have hurt you or worse?"

"YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT! YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T."

"yeah, right. whatever you wanna tell yourself, buddy."

"WELL I BELIEVE IN YOU. SO ARE WE FRIENDS NOW?"

 

*********************

Sans considered his options. Even with the insane misplacement of trust that Papyrus had shown toward him, he still wasn't entirely convinced things would go the way he wanted them to. Papyrus seemed to have this weird way of wiggling away from doing exactly what Sans wanted. He didn't even seem to know he was doing it.

_'I BELIEVE IN YOU'_

Of course he did.

Ah, well. Sans was bored anyways and there was plenty of time to work on the rest. Plenty of time to consider all the ways He was going to enjoy playing with his new toy. He would savor this.

Papyrus was staring at him, waiting for a response to his question with that endlessly hopeful look on his face.

"yeah, fine...whatever. friends. just don't expect me to dance through flowers with you or anything." he said shrugging

Papyrus fairly squealed in joy. He made a motion as though he was going to sweep Sans up into another unwanted hug, but a growl and a sharp look stopped him in his tracks. 

"don't even THINK about it."

"SORRY." Papyrus looked sheepish

"anyways i'm ready to get moving. are you coming or not?"

Of course he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to get these two talking. Don't know how good this is or not right now. Especially since I had a cruddy day at work and my more positive thoughts are hiding atm.
> 
> A soul-sucking job in cable tech support will do that to you. :-P
> 
> Heh, Papyrus isn't biting the way Sans wants him to...
> 
> Naivete does not equal compromise of principles, amirite?
> 
> Interesting how I just set these two up in my head and they just go at it. :-D
> 
> Did this end up too long? I dunno...
> 
> Ok, I'm rambling now. Let me know what you folks think!


	10. Conflict

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not everyone sees eye to eye on everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a bit longer to update. I ran into a block on this chapter and it took a bit to work out of it. (had to adjust the way I was pacing things a touch). Might take a little to get the next chapter(s) out as well, due to exams and another entirely...different reason. (#o.o#)
> 
> Seriously thinking of making the next update 2-3 chaps due to what I'm planning. Wish me luck? *worries* (^_^;;)
> 
> Also, I DO have a tumblr. I update there when I update here, if that helps anyone! 
> 
> purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com

"I AM JUST SAYING, SANS, THAT YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T USE SUCH LANGUAGE ALL THE TIME"

"right. don't fuckin' cuss...oops"

Sans smirked.

"SANS!"

"hey, i'll talk however i want to."

Papyrus huffed in frustration, giving up for the time being. Really! Why did he have to be so rude all the time?

Time had passed and Papyrus and Sans had finally passed out of Hotland and into Waterfall. Similar to the capitol in New home, many living monsters here were returning to their homes and they learned many things from overheard conversations as they passed them on the road. The mortal realm was still in upheaval. Their king, Asgore, had been at a loss to provide a response to the recent catastrophe that had struck them. Even the royal scientist, who had been in charge of the evacuation, had mysteriously disappeared. The barrier still had all of monster-kind trapped in their underground prison and hope for escape was at an all time low. Fear, worry and uncertainty were still the dominant attitudes throughout the underground.

The effects on Papyrus were gradual but noticeable. They both exerted an influence on the mortals around them whenever they were present, but the negative atmosphere that was ever present in the Underground was draining the angel. Sans figured it was the equivalent of pushing boulders up and down a hill, and right now Papyrus was definitely at the bottom of that hill. Every time Papyrus tried to encourage someone or give them a push in a positive direction, he was having to push against all of the negativity and despair already weighing them down. He had to fight hard for even small victories. Sans, on the other hand was at the top of that figurative hill. He barely had to put any effort into influencing the mortals around him to send them careening in whatever direction he chose. Honestly, with the way things were presently, his just BEING there was plenty enough.

Not that Sans hadn't tried to do more. When they had first started to run into more living monsters, Sans had picked out a few of them as they passed and had given his abilities a try. It wasn't particularly hard. Anger, fear, hatred, sadness...he just had to give a small push in the right place to get a reaction. And man could he get some priceless reactions! He managed to prod one married couple of rabbit monsters into a screaming match in the middle of the path. Further along, he was able urge tensions between two complete strangers to the point that a small brawl broke out over some perceived slight. In both instances, Papyrus had swept in to try and motivate them to reconciliate, and on both occasions Sans had simply sat back and enjoyed the show. The first time Papyrus had given Sans a quick questioning glance, the second time the look had been longer and more pointed.

"SANS...ARE YOU...?"

"am i what? got a bone to grind over something?"

"YOU SEEM TO BE ENJOYING THIS TOO MUCH."

"what's not to enjoy? they're hilarious! did you see how the one guy's eyes bugged out when the other dude bit his tail?"

"SANS, THAT ISN'T VERY NICE!"

"never said i was a nice guy, to tell the TOOTH..." Sans grinned.

"SANS!"

"eh, you had it handled. i have to admire your attention to de-TAIL..."

"SANS, SOMEONE COULD HAVE GOTTEN HURT."

Sans turned and looked levelly at Papyrus. There was a malevolent amusement in his expression there that made Papyrus shudder.

"so?"

Papyrus gave a frustrated sigh and let it go for the moment. He really didn't like this side of Sans and wasn't happy about it but he was feeling too worn to push it further at the time.

Sans should have known better than to press his luck.

The one thing Papyrus had seemed to take a special shine to had been the monster children. Whenever they would near a group of the small monsters, Papyrus' wings would promptly perk up and he would trot over, immediately interested in what they were doing. What Sans got to watch after that was a feedback loop of positive energy, the children forgetting the tragedy around them in their play and Papyrus watching and running and laughing along with them, unseen but enjoying the experience no less. Sans didn't even consider messing with that mojo. He wasn't quite as enthusiastic as Papyrus was to exhaust himself fighting against a current of positivity that strong.

Sans watched for a short while before becoming bored and scanning around for something to amuse himself with. He could have just pulled Papyrus away, insisting that he not waste their time, but he didn't want to be bothered with it. Papyrus was happy where he was at for the time being, and thoroughly distracted.

He finally found something interesting a short distance away, in a little nook away from the eyes of any adults watching the playing children. A few older monster children had cornered a smaller child and were relentlessly teasing him, trying to pick a fight. Sans watched from the sidelines, just allowing his influence to do its work and waiting for the right moment. The name calling gravitated to shoving which then moved on to scuffling. The smaller child, finally pushed past his limit, began summoning up his magic. The little shit was stronger than he looked, the flame in his small hand strong enough to do some serious damage if used. The older children backed off at the sight and the child began to hesitate.

"c'mon, kid...you know you want to..." Sans coaxed. He wanted to see if he'd actually do it. He began to nudge...

"SANS, NO!"

Suddenly Papyrus was in front of him, arms and wings spread, blocking his view of what was going on. Son of a BITCH, why did he have to show just when it was getting good? Sans looked up, preparing a sharp reply. When he saw Papyrus' face, his eyes widened in surprise.

Papyrus was glaring daggers at him. He had finally managed to piss him off...to push the right button. What he didn't expect was for that righteous anger to be so damn intimidating. That anger rolled of the angel in waves. It was frighteningly beautiful.

Fuck.

Sans wasn't about to be cowed, though.

"hey, buddy. you're blocking my view." He started to shift sideways.

Papyrus matched him move for move.

"SANS! THEY'RE CHILDREN. STOP IT."

"c'mon...it was just getting good, too..."

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! I MEAN IT, SANS."

Seriously?

Sans glared at Papyrus and Papyrus glared back. Sans finally realized that Papyrus was not going to back down. After considering his options, he forced himself to relax and shrugged nonchalantly.

"fine. you win. It was probably just gonna get boring anyways."

Sans watched as some of the tension drained from Papyrus' shoulders as well.

"THANK YOU, SANS."

"whatever."

While Papyrus yet again turned his attention to trying to influence a peaceful resolution, Sans stalked off a short distance, his lashing tail the only remaining evidence of the anger that simmered below the surface. While he waited, he silently fumed. What was with his nerve, telling him what to do? Sans concluded that the only reason he hadn't dispatched the self-righteous fuck was the regret he would feel over breaking his new toy before he got all the mileage he could out of it. He satisfied himself with imaging what he would do to Papyrus once he did tire of their current alliance. Did bones bleed when they shattered? He'd like to find out...

For a while after that Sans took a great deal of satisfaction out of watching Papyrus run himself into the ground trying to help people with minimal results. His wings began to droop and faint shadows appeared under his eye sockets. However as the hours wore on, Sans began to discover that an unhappy, frazzled Papyrus was not a very entertaining Papryrus. Where normally he had ten words for every two that Sans spoke, he was now unusually quiet. He barely reacted to any of Sans' teasing or prodding. Not only that, in Sans' opinion, the angel was spending way too much of his time paying attention to mortals. He didn't like feeling ignored.

Sans suddenly found that the reason for his irritation had changed. The irritation grew until he was pretty decidedly pissed off. He grabbed Papyrus by the wrist and led him off the main path away from any of the living monsters that might pass by.

"you need to quit. NOW!" He growled, glaring up at Papyrus.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SANS? WHAT SHOULD I QUIT?" Papyrus looked confused.

"look at you...you're a fucking mess! quit being so damned helpful for once! it's annoying!"

Papyrus processed this for a few moments, trying to figure out what Sans was so upset about. Then, suddenly, his expression brightened and he smiled delightedly at Sans, his eyes shining.

"ARE YOU...WORRIED ABOUT ME?!"

Sans sputtered incoherently...

"f-fuck that! you're slowing us down! and if you pass out, i don't want to be the one stuck dragging your tall lanky carcass through half the underground!"

Papyrus straightened and puffed out his chest, continuing as though he hadn't heard.

"NYEH HEH HEH!~ NO NEED TO WORRY YOURSELF ABOUT ME, SANS! THIS IS NOTHING THE GREAT PAPYRUS CAN'T HANDLE! I AM PERFECTLY FIT AND FINE."

Yeah right. Sans could see him swaying on his feet. It was slight, but he could see it. He ran a hand down his face in frustration.

"i'm not...augh! you don't even KNOW these people!"

Papyrus' smile softened a bit in response to this.

"ALL I NEED TO KNOW IS THAT THEY NEED MY HELP."

Sans swore internally. Shit shit shit. He had almost forgotten Papyrus' complete and total disregard for his own safety and well-being. Papyrus would keep helping and helping anyone and everyone till he fell over from exhaustion or worse. Then what did he expect Sans to do...hell, what WOULD Sans do...

...

Instinctively, Sans' thoughts veered in a safer, more familiar direction.

He thought hard. The only solution was to get Papyrus as far away from the situation as possible. However, Papyrus obviously had no intention of going anywhere of his own volition. Not as long as he focused purely on the interest of others...

Bingo. Time to change tactics.

"i thought you'd be a better friend than this." Sans shook his head in mock disappointment.

Papyrus' grin faltered. He suddenly looked worried.

"WHAT?"

"have you ever considered that i might need a break?"

Papyrus looked Sans over, searchings for signs of wear or fatigue.

"DO YOU?"

Not really. Sans had enough energy to keep going for a while yet. But that wasn't the point.

"you calling me a liar?"

"OF COURSE NOT, SANS. I'M SORRY FOR NOT NOTICING EARLIER! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?"

"i did just now. dammit, Papyrus! can't we get away from all these whiny-as-fuck mortals?"

A strange look crossed Papyrus' face and he stared at Sans for a few moments. Sans wondered if he could see through his bullshit. He hoped not. Finally Papyrus face broke into a wide grin.

"WELL THEN! AS A TRULY GREAT FRIEND, I WILL MAKE SURE TO FIND THE BEST RESTING SPOT THAT CAN BE FOUND. IT WILL TRULY BE LIKE NO OTHER!"

Sans sighed in relief. He bought it.

Papyrus turned as though to charge off with his usual enthusiasm, but then stood there for a long moment. His wings shifted, flexing in and out a bit as he seemed to consider something.

"UM...SANS?"

Sans was suddenly wary.

"yeah?"

Papyrus turned slightly to look back at Sans over his shoulder. His cheekbones were dusted with orange and he gave Sans a shy smile. A smile that radiated warmth and happiness.

"THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU SAID MY NAME WHEN TALKING TO ME...I...REALLY LIKED THAT. THANK YOU."

He then turned and charged off ahead to begin searching, so he didn't see Sans' own cheekbones flush, or that his eye lights had momentarily vanished.

Shiiiiiiiiiit. That look. Damn it all to hell...all over something so stupid as calling him by his fucking NAME?

After another breathless moment, Sans managed to shake himself out of it and work on catching up to the angel ahead of him.

Once they were far enough away from the path, Papyrus began to show some small signs of improvement, so they decided to split up in order to search more thoroughly. Even then, Sans kept mental tabs, making sure he could still 'feel' Papyrus nearby so that they weren't getting too far apart. After some time of searching, Papyrus came rushing back.

"SANS! I THINK I FOUND A GOOD SPOT!"

"alright. let's see it then."

Papyrus led Sans over to a place where the cave narrowed. There was a corridor there that was blocked off by a pool of clear water a few feet deep. Sans could see a jag in the corridor further down where the water ended that seemed to lead somewhere. It was hard to spot if you weren't looking for it. Not bad...except...

"it won't work."

"WHY NOT?"

Sans jerked his thumb back toward the small wings on his back.

"how in the hell am i supposed to get over there? these useless things are no help and i'm not about to go for a swim, thank you."

"DON'T SAY THAT ABOUT YOUR WINGS. I THINK THEY'RE FINE."

"...says the one that can fly."

Papyrus fell into thought. He stared at the watery gap, not willing to give up on what he'd found.

"WELL, IT IS CERTAINLY A PUZZLE WORTHY OF MY GREATNESS." He said with confidence "I'M GOING TO CHECK OUT THE OTHER SIDE."

He stretched out his wings and took off for the other end. Sans watched him go with a mixture of envy and wonder. Up until this point Papyrus had remained on the ground, since Sans himself couldn't fly. It was the first time he had gotten to see Papyrus use those things and it was pretty damn impressive.

Well, Sans wasn't about to let Papyrus show him up. He had been trying to figure out how the demon he had met earlier was able to cling to the ceiling the way he had done. So far he was stymied. He had tried to use magic to 'stick' to the wall, but even when it worked, it didn't feel right. His arms would tire before he was even halfway up the wall, and he would come sliding slowly down as his magic weakened. It was quite undignified. The first time he had tried it, he had caught Papyrus watching and trying hard to be polite and hide his smile of amusement. After that he made sure to wait till he was certain he couldn't be seen.

Well he couldn't be seen now.

Sans approached the nearest wall and placed his hands on it, thinking. What could the trick be? He growled softly in frustration. Such a useful skill, and he should be more than capable compared to that useless lump of flesh he had seen do it earlier. He wondered what it felt like to be able to do something like that, almost as if the force of gravity changed itself just for him. His magic resonated slightly at the thought. Maybe he was thinking about this the wrong way. He played with that idea and decided to try something new.

Concentrating, he looked at the wall and told himself that this was no longer the wall. He had been wrong all this time. Gravity had been wrong all this time. The wall was the floor. The floor was the wall. It took a lot of mental effort to 'convince' himself of something that every physical sensation around was doing it's best to argue about, but gradually his mental perception shifted.

At which point he promptly face-planted onto the wall in front of him. His concentration broke and gravity righted itself again, causing him to fall back square on his ass on the cavern floor. He swore, rubbing at his aching nasal ridge with one hand and his smarting backside with the other. He had been so busy trying to adjust his perception he hadn't physically prepared himself for the shift. Sans took a quick look around to make sure no one had seen. Good. Still alone. He could still faintly feel Papyrus further down the corridor, apparently still absorbed in whatever he was doing.

Sans got up and tried again, this time bracing his arms and feet in such a way to catch himself when the change occurred. He went back to concentrating on changing the way he thought about the world around him. This time he was ready and felt as the change occurred and suddenly he was supporting all of his weight on his arms. He shifted his feet as well, bringing them onto the wall (floor) so that he was on his hands and knees.

Sans would have smiled if he wasn't concentrating so hard. It took a lot to convince himself the world was not the way it was supposed to be around him. He could only suppose that it would become second nature as he used it more.

Slowly he stood up. Making sure to keep solid control over his thinking, he looked around himself. A small corner of his mind noted how strange it was, seeing the pool of water seemingly suspended on the wall along with what used to be the floor. Sans felt his magic waver slightly and gravity tugged a gentle reminder at him not to lose focus. He walked further 'up' the wall. Once he was about ten feet out, he turned and looked at his progress.

Sans felt very pleased with himself.

He turned and looked down the corridor where Papyrus had gone. Of course it wasn't too far. He could make that no problem.

Sans walked along the wall down the corridor, trying very hard not to be distracted by the wall of water that shouldn't be there to his left.

As he turned the corner, Papyrus came into sight. The angel was muttering to himself as he surveyed the room he found himself in. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, the turned to look back out over the pool of water, his brow creasing in thought. Probably trying to figure out how he was going to get Sans across.

"MAYBE I COULD CARRY HIM?" Papyrus thought aloud.

"not a fucking chance, buddy."

Papyrus started violently and his wings fluffed. Sans thought about how he'd never get tired of seeing his wings do that, though his mind still deliberately avoided the word 'cute'. His face stretched into a self-satisfied grin.

Papyrus looked up at him with with wide eyes.

"SANS, HOW DID YOU DO THAT?"

"WATER you talking about? I'm just HANGING around, is all." Sans chuckled

"WOWIE! THAT IS SO COOL, SANS. I DON'T THINK I CAN DO THAT."

Papyrus' face lit up with delight, genuinely happy at Sans' accomplishment.

Sans ego expanded as he soaked up the praise. He didn't notice as gravity gave him a small tug as though to gently remind him it was still there.

"heh. well it wasn't like i was trying to STONEWALL or anything. just a natural, i guess. not all of us..."

Sans didn't get to finish his sentence. Gravity, affronted at being ignored for so long, decided that now was a good time to reinforce that it was still the boss. Sans felt a sudden lurch as it reasserted it's authority and he fell off the wall teen feet down into three feet of water. There was a loud splash.

Papyrus took a step forward. 

"SANS? ARE YOU OKAY?"

It took him some moments of spluttering and flailing before he regained his footing. Standing, the water came up to just below sans ribcage, lapping gently at his lowermost ribs. The top half of his hoodie and shirt clung to him and the bottom half floated freely. Water dripped from the tips of his horns and his wings.

Sans swore with a passion. He let loose a chain of curses, invectives and epithets that lasted a good couple of minutes. As he continued his tirade, Papyrus' eyes got wider and his cheeks turned an embarrassed shade of orange. He didn't even know half of the words Sans used, but he could tell they were absolutely filthy. He didn't know that much dirty language even existed! 

As the shock wore off and Papyrus realized Sans wasn't hurt, though, he realized the hilarity of the situation and quickly covered his mouth to hide the smile beginning to develop there. Despite of, or maybe because of, his injured pride, Sans didn't miss it.

"what the fuck are YOU laughing about?"

"I-I'M SORRY SANS...IT'S JUST THAT...NYEH HEH HEH...YOU LOOK SO SILLY."

Papyrus finally gave in to the fit of giggles. This lasted for another minute as Sans glared accusingly at him. Finally Papyrus calmed himself and straightened, smiling.

"REALLY, SANS. I AM SORRY, IT JUST REMINDED ME OF THE FIRST TIME I TRIED TO FLY. IF IT MAKES YOU FEEL ANY BETTER, I IMAGINE I MUST HAVE LOOKED QUITE SILLY MYSELF THAT TIME. HERE, LET ME HELP YOU OUT."

Papyrus reached out a hand toward Sans to pull him out of the water. He scowled at Papyrus, then at the offered hand up. He reached out and clasped Papyrus' gloved wrist and Papyrus gripped his.

"AND SANS, YOU REALLY SHOULD WATCH YOUR LANG-...."

Sans grinned roguishly and yanked hard. With a loud "NYEH!" of surprise, Papyrus tumbled down into the water next to Sans. 

Sans laughed as he watched Papyrus taking his turn struggling to right himself. Once Papyrus was back on his feet, he gave Sans a surprised look. Sans looked back unapologetically.

"serves you right for laughing." Sans shrugged.

Papyrus was now just as drenched as Sans was. Even his halo had gotten wet and it dripped with little plinks onto the top of Papyrus' skull. The water was just a bit higher than his waist and both his battle body and wings sprinkled liquid back into the pool every time he moved.

Sans watched appreciatively. Wet was a very good look on Papyrus.

Once he realized fully what had just happened, Papyrus gave a huff of annoyance and stamped his foot, sloshing the water around them.

"SANS! THAT WASN'T VERY NICE!" He accused.

"heh. can't fool me, you're still grinning."

"I KNOW AND I HATE IT!" His smile widened another fraction "NOW CAN WE PLEASE GET OUT OF THE WATER, SANS?"

"sure thing. after you."

They both hauled themselves out of the pool and prepared to investigate their new find.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTES AND THOUGHTS:
> 
> -Thinking honestly that the air/vibe/atmosphere of certain situations, places, or even maybe people would cause things to be more or less conducive to influence by reborn monsters. Not that it would cancel out the monster's influence, but maybe make it harder or easier to exert.
> 
> -Papyrus loving kids just seems obvious to me. *shrug*
> 
> -Came to me as I was writing that maybe what makes Papyrus one of the best angels at doing what he does may also be linked to one of his faults, not considering his own well being in the process (with a touch of thinking this may have been influenced by his initial experiences with the original Sans). Might also be why Sans' influence may not be all bad (forcing Pap to take a break/let it go).
> 
> -All couples argue, right? Also have no trouble thinking Papyrus would stand up to Sans when needed. Angel Papyrus is a sweetie, not a pushover. And probly pretty awesome looking in no-nonsense bad*** mode. >=-D
> 
> -had lots of fun figuring out how he would learn to work his climbing ability and how I thought that would work.
> 
> -more Shenanigans! yay!
> 
> As always feedback is always appreciated!


	11. Angelic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Papyrus Explore their surroundings. Sans comes to an epiphany we've known of for a while and new "friends" are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here we go.
> 
> Start by dabbling our toes in the water before the big plunge. God help me. 
> 
> Long chapter warning.
> 
> As always, tumblr @ https://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com  
> reborntale belongs to @skellyhell and lives @reborntale, both also on tumblr

Sans decided that the little cavern they had found would do for the time being. It was sizeable and cozy, with a couple of glowing mushrooms for light. Much of the floor was covered in the soft green moss that seemed to thrive in the damp environment of waterfall. There were even a couple of flat topped boulders that were a convenient sitting height. Sans determined that eventually they would have to find something more comfortable, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

Once they had settled in, Sans found a convenient ledge where he decided to lounge, arms behind his head, "napping" long enough for Papyrus to recover from their busy afternoon. Occasionally he would crack open a lid to peer at Papyrus, checking on him. Even resting, Papyrus couldn't seem to keep still, fidgeting and shifting as he sat. Finally he began to pick at his wings, smoothing and straightening the feathers meticulously, working from the wingtips inward. The tedium of the task seemed to put him at ease, and Sans was able to finally relax and close his eyes again to think.

The place they had chose was pretty well situated, out of the way and hidden as it was down the curving corridor with the pool of water. However, as they had traveled, Sans had felt other demons nearby, flitting in and out of perception. It seemed that none were too eager to confront them head on for the time being, though Sans considered it wasn't likely many demons were brave enough to face a demon and angel who had teamed up the way he and Papyrus had. Still, there had been a couple of persistent presences that seemed to be watching them, and he had felt a couple more not all that far from where they had settled in. Eventually, Sans thought, he would have to search out some of the closer ones and "clean house" so to speak. He didn't want ANYONE too close to his hideaway or his angel.

He wondered vaguely about the other angels. They had been strangely absent in all of this mess, and that made Sans uneasy. It was another unknown he had to deal with. Maybe they were more rare than the demons were? Was something keeping them from showing themselves? Were they all as aggravatingly bright and earnest as Papyrus was?

Earnest. Papyrus truly seemed to want to make everyone and everything around him happy, even Sans. It was the 'everyone else' part that made him grind his teeth with frustration. On the other hand, he wondered exactly how far he could push Papyrus in his willingness to please.

He stole another glance at Papyrus, eyes running up from the long legs to the hipbones just barely peeking up over his pants to the graceful curve of his spine...there was a lot there worth looking at. He wondered how Papyrus would react if he ran a hand up his spine...under his battle body...over those ribs. His soul flared and he felt the warmth rush through him before clamping down on it. Not here, not now. Sans quickly got it under control before his magic displayed any more "evidence" of the thoughts running through his mind. His tail, dangling off of the ledge he had reclined on, gave the barest of twitches.

His train of thought was derailed by a small "NYEH" of frustration from Papyrus. Sans peeked again to see what was up.

Papyrus had slowly worked his way up his wing and was now straining to get at the feathers closer to his back. Even his long arms could only do so much and it was quickly becoming the ultimate exercise in futility. The Great Papyrus was not one to give up, however. He tried multiple angles of approach, contorting himself in an effort to get to the unreachable spots on his wings. Sans caught an enticing glimpse of Papyrus' delicate neck bones, a sliver of white between his jawline and the crimson of his scarf as Papyrus turned his head as far as he could to try and see his target. Papyrus made a final desperate swipe at a particularly tricky spot and finally snagged a feather. However, in his intense focus, he apparently hadn't thought things through, and he only succeeded in yanking it out by the root. He gave a small yip of pain and tears gathered at the corners of his eye sockets.

"snrk."

Papyrus' head shot up to stare in Sans direction.

Sans shut his eyes and continued to mime being asleep. The sound had escaped him before he could catch it and he quickly tried to work it into a convincing snore. Maybe Papyrus hadn't noticed. There was a long pause, followed by the shuffling sounds of Papyrus rising to his feet, then the approach of his footsteps across the floor, pausing when they got close. Sans waited.

Papyrus gave an exasperated huff.

"I KNOW YOU'RE AWAKE SANS"

Welp, the game was up. Sans cracked an eye at Papyrus and grinned mischievously.

"i was wondering FEATHER you'd noticed."

"SANS!"

"ok, ok, you've got me PINIONED. i'm up, just give me a sec, okay?"

"HOW CAN YOU SLEEP SO MUCH? YOU DON'T EVEN NEED IT!"

Sans shrugged.

"eh, it's nice. i like it."

"WELL I'D LIKE TO LOOK AROUND A BIT MORE, IF YOU DON'T MIND"

Sans actually thought it was a great idea. If they were gonna settle here for a bit, then he'd have to get a good idea of what his new territory was like, and maybe get a feel for whether there were any other reborn monsters in the area he would have to deal with.

They spent the next few days exploring, Papyrus flitting from one thing to the next like some large feathery butterfly, pointing out each new and "amazing" thing he discovered to Sans, who would shrug or make some offhanded comment. Papyrus seemed especially fond of the echo flowers, large glowing blue flowers that repeated back the last line they overheard. There was a field full of them not too far off from their hideaway. He was a little disappointed that they didn't seem to respond to his own voice and even more forlorn when he heard what the flowers HAD overheard.

Why did this happen to us?

He was my only family...

I just don't know how to cope anymore...

and so on.

Papyrus was very quiet.

"aren't they a bunch of whiny fucks." Sans observed.

Papyrus gave him a hurt look. Sans averted his eyes and petulantly grumbled something about "damned bleeding heart angels not knowing when to mind their own business" under his breath before stalking off some distance to leave Papyrus to his moping.

Occasionally they would run into mortals, at which point Papyrus would go into full on helpful mode. This, in turn, would drive Sans up the wall...literally. Papyrus would trot off happily, ready and willing to see if there was anything he could do to encourage or help them. Sans would watch him go, tail switching back and forth in annoyance, peeved as all fuck, knowing it would be pointless to try and stop him. Then he would walk himself up the nearest rock wall, find a ledge and sit there, watching impatiently for Papyrus to get it out of his system and come back looking for him.

Not that he minded the watching part. His eyes had been increasingly drawn to Papyrus as of late. For all that he was unceremoniously dumped into Sans' lap by circumstance...even though he could be absolutely, completely infuriating...Sans had no trouble admitting that Papyrus was beautiful. Delicate, fine bone structure, long limbs that moved with a purposeful grace, the determined set of his jaw and that earnest look on his face. And holy shit, those wings.

He had become very aware of one thing.

He wanted to fuck the angel. 

Sans wanted to see that confidence broken into a million little pieces as he mercilessly thrust his cock into him, causing him to fall apart and beg for more, screaming his name. He wanted to feel those wings straining under his grip as he drove his teeth into them, relishing the taste of them between his fangs. He wondered what lewd expressions Papyrus would show him. He wanted to ruin that purity in more ways than he could count, tying that beautiful creature to him, subject entirely to his whims and pleasure. 

He just had to figure out how to go about getting what he wanted. He wasn't entirely sure how Papyrus would react to such attention, and he wanted to make sure not to seriously injure him or frighten him off. It would be too much work to force Papyrus to stay, to restrain him with violence or magic, and honestly, wouldn't it be so much better if he were willing? The idea of such a pure being just handing himself over to Sans, maybe even asking for it, stirred his magic in a wonderfully maddening way.

It was usually at this point in his thought process that his magic made it incredibly apparent what it was he wanted. He would feel a straining pressure originating from his pelvis that sought relief, at which point his hand would find it's way down to the insistent heat of his erection, stroking it languidly. He would imagine what he would do if only Papyrus would let him, or what Papyrus might do to him, groaning softly as his other hand wandered up his shirt to stroke at his ribs. Through all of it, the very real risk that Papyrus would return before he was finished, catch him like this with his hand down his pants and moaning his name, added to both the thrill and the resulting sensations, causing him to increase the pace as he neared his climax. Finally, with a barely muffled grunt, his hips would give a few stuttering jerks into his hand as he came. 

On the upshot, he was usually a good deal less aggravated after such a session.

Dammit, he had to do something about this soon.

As time passed, and Sans became more comfortable with their surroundings, he would at times leave Papyrus to whatever thing he was doing at the time to explore further afield himself. His best chances for doing so often came when Papyrus wanted to visit the field of echo flowers. Since their first visit there, Papyrus wanted to return regularly, and seemed to be searching for something among the blooms that Sans could only guess at. The field of flowers was relatively close to the center of their territory, and Sans deemed it safe enough that he could leave Papyrus here while he tended to other things. 

It was when he was returning from one of these excursions that he realized that Papyrus was not alone.

*************************************

Papyrus was wandering the field of echo flowers, waiting for Sans to return, when there was the sudden rush of wing-beats behind him.

"Hey, nerd! Never thought I'd see your ugly mug again!"

Papyrus turned at the familiar voice. His eyes lit up with delight.

"UNDYNE!"

Undyne gave Papyrus her familiar toothy grin.

"That's right! Though I don't think I got your name last time we met. You seemed a little preoccupied at the time."

"IT'S PAPYRUS. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN UNDYNE."

"Well I was hoping to see you again, Papyrus. You weren't with the others when I got there."

Papyrus rubbed the back of his neck a little sheepishly.

"NO, I WASN'T. ASRIEL OFFERED TO TAKE ME, BUT I REFUSED."

"Really? You know Asriel? That is sweet!"

"OH YES, HE WAS VERY NICE. I GUESS HE'S WELL KNOWN THEN?"

"Well known? Papyrus, he's been around a lot longer than most angels in the underground! He's supposed to be very wise, but honestly he's just a big fluffy pushover."

"SOUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW HIM YOURSELF."

Now it was Undyne's turn to look sheepish.

"Yeah, well, remember that stunt I pulled back at the bridge?"

Papyrus nodded. Undyne continued.

"Um, yeah, apparently I was too hyped to feel it at the time, but I pulled my wing doing that. Hurt like a bitch, I'll tell you. Well, when I was found the older angels really gave my ear a good chewing. Something about a new angel needing to take it slow or something. Pfft...as if they'd know. Well, when they finally got me back to where they had brought the others I was apparently more of a handful than they expected. Sooo after everyone else had thrown up their hands, Asriel apparently volunteered himself to look after me."

"THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL. ESPECIALLY IF HE'S VERY WISE."

Undyne made a face.

"I guess. He likes to fuss an awful lot though." Then her face lit up "But he's crazy strong! He's been showing me how to use my magic."

"THATS AMAZING! I'VE BEEN HAVING TO FIGURE IT OUT MYSELF."

"Really? Well maybe I can show you! Teach you to kick some real ass! We could even train together. Why don't you come back with us?"

Papyrus hesitated.

"THANK YOU, UNDYNE. IT SOUNDS WONDERFUL. BUT, I STILL CAN'T GO..."

"Is it still that mortal of yours? I didn't see him anywhere. Where is he?"

There was a sudden and uncomfortable silence. Papyrus shuffled his feet and looked down at his boots. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.

"HE...UH...HE DIDN'T..." Papyrus managed, voice cracking a bit.

Undyne's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh, shit...Papyrus...I'm sorry..." Undyne's face was full of regret "You seemed so attached to him. If that's the case, why haven't you come to join us?"

"SINCE I SAW YOU, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY OTHER ANGELS AROUND."

"Yeah, we've been pretty busy taking care of the new ones. We haven't had time for much else till recently. So have you been alone? All this time?"

Papyrus face lit up.

"NOT AT ALL! I'VE BEEN WITH SANS." 

"Sans? Never heard of the guy. Who's he?"

They were both interrupted by a low growl from behind Papyrus. 

"that would be me, angel."

********************************************

Sans didn't expect another angel. Hell, he didn't know WHAT to expect. All he knew was that he could sense someone near Papyrus and it sure as hell wasn't a demon, but if he could feel them, then he knew it wasn't a mortal either. If he had taken the time to consider it, he probably would have reached the conclusion that it couldn't have been anything else, but all he knew was that someone was entirely too close to his angel and he didn't know who or what they were or what they meant to do. 

When he entered the cavern containing the field of echo flowers he saw them. Papyrus was speaking animatedly to another angel, who was grinning and responding in kind. Sans scrutinized the intruder. Red hair, webbed ears, scaly blue skin and sharp teeth. Two large pale green wings. Sans found he liked orange better. There was nothing meek in the way she carried herself, radiating her brash confidence even from across the room. He approached carefully, keeping Papyrus between him and the newcomer's line of sight.Thankfully they were so caught up with their conversation that they didn't notice him. As he neared he caught snippets of what they were saying and he didn't like where things were going one bit. It sounded like the other angel was trying to convince Papyrus to go with her. Who the fuck did she think she was?

So he announced himself. He'd be damned if he let this cunt of an angel take off with his property. 

He stepped out from behind Papyrus and grinned at her maliciously. His eyes, however, were not grinning at all. The twin lights of his eyes were very bright, conveying his true intent as much as if he had spoken it outright. His tail curled along the floor in a possessive arc behind Papyrus' feet. 

The look on her face was almost worth it. A mixture of recognition, confusion, disbelief...and then disgust and hatred.

Her gaze shot back to Papyrus, who was looking at Sans with a pleased expression on his face. 

"OH! THERE YOU ARE, SANS. THIS IS UNDYNE. I MET HER SHORTLY BEFORE..." 

Undyne sputtered for a moment before finding her words and breaking in.

"What the HELL, Papyrus!? He looks just like...THIS is what happened to your mortal!?" She tried to think of a plausible explanation "Do you even know what he IS, Papyrus?"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, UNDYNE?"

"Papyrus, he's a freakin' DEMON."

Papyrus looked at Sans, who shrugged, then back at Undyne, cleary puzzled.

"YES. I KNOW THAT. IS THAT IMPORTANT?"

Sans watched as Undyne's face went through a variety of bizarre expressions as she tried to process the frankness with which Papyrus had responded. Oh,this was getting good. He decided to hold off a bit longer. He wanted to hear what came next.

"Of COURSE it's important. He's a demon. His whole purpose is to spread misery and hate. Why would you want to be around such a creature!?"

"HE'S MY FRIEND."

"Papyrus, you can't be friends with a demon!"

"WHY NOT?"

Undyne tried to change her approach.

"Papyrus, do you remember Shyren?"

"OH YES! SHE HAS A VERY BEAUTIFUL VOICE!"

"Well, shortly after you left her, she was found." Undyne's voice simmered with barely controlled rage. "but not by us. She was found by demons. They hurt her...badly...and not just physically. It'll be ages before she can even fly again. We almost didn't find her in time, She almost PERISHED."

Papyrus raised a gloved hand to his mouth and gasped in horror, eyes filling with tears. Sans gaze flicked to Papyrus, then back to Undyne. This wasn't good.

"OH! I AM SO SORRY, UNDYNE! I SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH HER...I..."

"No, Papyrus. You couldn't have known. The only ones who are to blame are the BASTARDS that did that to her. The demons." She turned her glare to Sans "Demons like HIM did that to her. He is no different, Papyrus."

Sans considered whether now was the time to step in. Just as he was about to, Papyrus broke in...his voice conveyed both sadness and determination.

"BUT UNDYNE, SANS ISN'T THE ONE WHO HURT HER. YOU CAN'T BLAME HIM FOR SOMETHING HE DIDN'T DO. THAT'S NOT FAIR."

Sans looked up at Papyrus, momentarily startled that he had come to his defense. Well, why not? He turned back to Undyne and gave her a smug, self-satisfied smirk. Undyne didn't miss it. Her face flushed further in anger.

"He's tricked you, Papyrus. You're not safe with him." She tried desperately. She was losing this argument and she knew it. It was hard to win when half of the argument didn't even know it was one.

"I CAN'T SAY HE'S ALWAYS HONEST WITH ME." Papyrus glanced at Sans for a moment "BUT I AM PERFECTLY SAFE. HE HASN'T HURT ME."

Sans felt a pang of...something...at that statement. His mind flitted back to all the times he HAD almost hurt Papyrus...badly and entirely without remorse. Was he really that dense? Something in his soul stirred uneasily. He quickly squashed it.

Undyne tried one final time.

" Look, why don't you come with me, Papyrus? We can talk it over once we're back with the others. Did you know that Shyren asked after you? She said you were so kind to her and complimented her singing. Her love of singing is most of the reason she's made it through this horrible mess. She's really wanted to see you again."

Sans could see that Papyrus wanted to go, that he was truly concerned and wanted to see this angel he knew. Knowing that he felt a heavy dread because he knew that once he went with them, one way or the other, they would make him stay. He would never see Papyrus again. The anger and frustration and rage started to boil in him, his weight shifting forward in readiness when again Papyrus' response stopped him.

"CAN SANS COME?" He asked simply

Undyne gaped at him, aghast at the idea.

"Huh? Wha...OF COURSE NOT!" 

"THEN I'M SORRY, UNDYNE. I'M NOT GOING."

Sans thought he could hear Undyne's last bit of patience snap like a dried twig.

"You're coming whether you like it or not!" She reached for Papyrus' wrist.

And suddenly Sans was there. He stood between them, small wings spread wide, his eye glowing fiercely as he glowered up at Undyne. Despite the fact that she was much taller, towering over the short demon, Sans was no less intimidating. The rage and hostility rolled off him in almost palpable waves, causing Undyne to hesitate briefly in her advance, thrown off guard by the sudden change.

"i wouldn't do that if i were you" He snarled "he isn't yours to take."

Undyne recovered quickly. She summoned a shining blue spear into her hand, brandishing it purposefully in Sans' direction. 

"Wanna go? I'm more than ready, punk! Perishing your kind is one of my reasons for existing. You're the enemy of all that is good on this Earth, and I will END YOU!"

"bring it, fish bitch." Sans summoned a row of sharp bones, preparing to hurl them at his opponent.

Papyrus, standing behind Sans, was beginning to look incredibly upset. His wings were pulled in as far as they could go in dismay as he looked from one to the other, watching his desire for a peaceful resolution beginning to fall apart. 

"SANS! UNDYNE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP! DON'T FIGHT." 

"think she started it, buddy, and i'm going to finish it."

"Papyrus, this is for your own good."

They both waited to see who would make the first move. Time seemed to slow between them as they watched for the slightest of movements that would give their opponent away.

They didn't get their chance.

Sans sensed it before he saw it. He launched himself backwards as a line of flame erupted between them. Undyne likewise lurched away at the sudden heat.

"what in the holy FUCK!" 

Undyne was nowhere near as clueless. Her spear vanished in her hand.

"Oh, man. Why now of all times..." she groaned.

With a soft sound, another winged figure landed next to Undyne, much taller and more powerful. Sans looked at the tall, furry white angel before them with a sense of foreboding...this wasn't good.

"May I ask what is going on here?" Despite the softness of his voice, it carried easily to all present, and it expected an answer. His eyes skated over Sans as though he wasn't there, focusing his attention on Undyne and Papyrus. Sans felt a small flash of anger.

Undyne straightened and looked at Asriel defiantly.

"I was eliminating this demon. He is decieving this angel and needs to be perished immediately."

"Is this true?" Asriel looked at Papyrus for confirmation.

Papyrus, who was just relieved that the fighting had stopped, replied confidently.

"NO! SANS HASN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY HAVE TO FIGHT LIKE THIS...BUT I'M NOT BEING DECEIVED."

Asriel examined Papyrus for a very long moment. His eyes were deep and unfathomable, revealing only the barest flickers of thought behind them. Something there seemed to satisfy him, because then he finally turned his attention to Sans. His gaze hardened as looked down at the glaring demon.

"And why are you still here?" He asked coldly

Sans was asking himself that very question. He was fucked. Royally and totally. There was no conceivable way he could face down two angels at once. If he even tried, they would squash him flat quicker than he could think. He should make himself scarce. The primal part of his mind screamed at him to run, to get away and Papyrus be damned. 

But he didn't.

"fuck you. i'm not leaving without Papyrus." He spat.

"I could make you leave. Papyrus belongs with us."

Sans remained silent, choosing not to say anything. He didn't budge.

Asriel brought a single white paw up, a flame blossoming in his palm. Undyne watched eagerly, satisfied that Sans was going to be dealt with. It was a good thing Sans was made of bone, or he would have visibly blanched. 

Sans wondered why the hell he hadn't run away yet. What the fuck was wrong with him? Any moment now he was gonna be charred into so much ash and all because he couldn't ditch his pride enough to cut and run. 

But when he thought of Papyrus meekly returning with them, when he thought of HIS angel being taken and never returning, he found he couldn't do anything else than what he was doing right now. Papyrus was his and his alone! No one would have him as long as Sans drew breath. If he was perished, then so fucking be it. 

This was the point at which the logical part of his brain threw up it's hands, said "fuck it", and let it go.

Sans eye began to glow again as he prepared to at least give the furry bastard a run for his money.

A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder, drawing him back. Papyrus stepped in front of him.

"DON'T HURT SANS."

There was a quaver in Papyrus voice as he said this, and Sans noticed his legs were trembling under him. His gaze though was unwavering as he looked at Asriel.

"PLEASE. WE DON'T WISH TO FIGHT."

Yet again, Asriel seemed to consider them for a long moment, then he lowered his hand and the flame disappeared as though it had never been there in the first place. Undyne was looking at him with a baffled look on her face. Sans remained on guard, suspicious. 

Asriel continued to regard them for some moments, looking first at Papyrus and then at Sans and then back again. There was a flicker of something...memory...sadness...? It disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared. He sighed wearily, then returned his attention back to Papyrus.

"You're sure you want to do this? You want to stay here? You know you would be welcome among us, and to be surrounded by your fellows is a wonderful thing."

"I'M SORRY. IF SANS CAN'T COME, THEN I WON'T GO."

"You know what that means? Most other angels will despise you for your choice. Some may even attack you or try to kill you. Even those who consider you a friend " and with this he glanced at Undyne "are not likely to understand."

Papyrus looked crestfallen

"I...WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE...I REALLY DO." Then he looked up, once again brimming with confidence "BUT IF I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, GAVE UP ON ONE FRIEND SO EASILY JUST TO MAKE OTHERS, I REALLY WOULDN'T BE MUCH OF A FRIEND IN THE FIRST PLACE."

Asriel chuckled at that, smiling warmly at Papyrus.

"I guess that's true enough."

Then he turned deadly serious, his voice becoming solemn.

"Papyrus. Do not forget that he cannot deny what he is. In one way or another, he will hurt you." 

It was Papyrus' turn to choose not to answer. He merely smiled. Asriel read the answer in that smile, and raised an eyebrow in amazement. He gave another sigh before continuing.

"Well then, there is nothing more to be said. Undyne, we're leaving!"

Undyne, at a loss, began to argue.

"But Asriel, what about..."

"UNDYNE." Asriel's voice had a sharp edge to it. "You've been with me all this time, seen everything I have in these past weeks. You KNOW how they look, when they've been broken...abused...coerced. Is that how Papyrus seems to you?"

"Well, no...I..."

"Papyrus seems to be doing this of his own will, Undyne. It is not our place to interfere with the will of other angels, even if we strongly disagree. We...I...don't work like that. If they were upsetting the balance, that would be another matter. We will discuss your penchant for picking fights when we get home."

Undyne, grumbling, relented. Asriel gave Sans a final piercing look, and he thought he could see a warning in that gaze. He shivered.

Spreading their wings, they took off and were gone.

Papyrus slumped to the ground, all the tension washing out of him as relief took over. 

"THANK GOODNESS, NOBODY DID A VIOLENCE." he breathed." THAT...WAS A BIT SCARY, TO TELL THE TRUTH"

Silence. Sans didn't respond.

Papyrus looked up, concerned.

Sans was merely standing there, clenching and unclenching his hands, grinding his teeth. He had never felt so angry, so upset, so absolutely powerless.

So relieved.

He hated it. He hated that Papyrus was almost taken. He hated that the didn't run off when it was blatantly OBVIOUS there was no way to win with the odds stacked against him. He hated that Papyrus thought he needed to be protected. And he HATED the fact the only reason he wasn't a smear on the floor was that his enemies had shown him mercy. The question of what in the absolute hell he was thinking was chasing itself around his skull, taunting him relentlessly. 

And what about Papyrus? If Sans hadn't been there, would he have left with them obediently, gone forever and never giving him another thought? He could tell that Papyrus wanted to be with others of his own kind. 

Through the turmoil in his soul, he tried to reach out for some emotion, any emotion, he was sure of.

His. Papyrus was his. That was something he was sure of. He just needed to make sure that Papyrus knew that too.

He had to make sure that Papyrus would never leave his side again, no matter what happened.

"...ANS....SANS!"

Sans jerked back to reality. Papyrus was back on his feet, fussing over him, worried since he hadn't responded. He leaned over Sans, face inches from his, nothing but concern all over his face.

"ARE YOU OKAY?"

Sans eyes latched onto Papyrus' and he stared. He stared long at the Angel in front of him. That gentle, open, inquisitive look directed solely back at him. 

That's right. Papyrus should only ever look at him.

Sans' soul flared.

He reached out and took Papyrus by the wrist. He turned and began walking, Papyrus trailing along behind him.

"SANS, WHAT...."

"we're going home."

Sans was done playing games.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That "argument" was fun to write.
> 
> As far as hinting at anything w/ Asriel, at the very least, he's old enough to have seen and known some things and maybe kind and wise enough to have a broader world view than the younger angels.
> 
> And boy, did mr. overconfident just get the scare of his afterlife or what?


	12. Demonic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do I really need to say what this chapter's about? Good...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh geez oh geez oh geez....
> 
> So, yeah, um....NSFW...yeah
> 
> And yeah...kinda dubcon, because SOMEONE doesn't know how to wait for a proper yes.
> 
> Tumblr is [ HERE.](https://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com)  
> reborntale belongs to @skellyhell and lives @reborntale, also on tumblr.
> 
> *Sets chapter down nicely on the table then runs away to hide*
> 
> hrng....(x//_//x)

Papyrus protested the whole way back.

"SANS? WHAT'S THE MATTER? YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP PULLING ME LIKE THAT."

Sans heard him. Sans ignored him. Even with the knowledge that Papyrus would follow on his own, he didn't want to let go. He clung to Papyrus' wrist like a lifeline.

Papyrus didn't like seeing Sans like this. Something was very wrong. Other than declaring his intent to return home, he had remained eerily silent and strangely focused. Finally they came to the pool of water at the entrance to their home. Sans stopped at the waters' edge, almost as though he was surprised to find it there. After a moment he dropped Papyrus' hand.

Papyrus rubbed at his wrist anxiously.

"SANS, WHAT'S GOING ON? I WANT TO HELP, PLEASE."

Papyrus was relieved when Sans finally answered him.

"heh. that's good." Sans tone of voice was unusually level "why don't you go on ahead. i'll be there in a second."

Sans still wasn't looking at him, keeping his eyes directed at the wall at the other end of the corridor. Papyrus gave Sans one last look of concern before he launched himself from the edge of the pool and coasted gracefully to the other side.

Sans flinched as he saw the retreating wings ahead of him. He breathed, giving himself a moment to force the swirling emotions within him to subside. Then he focused his magic and climbed to wall to get back to their hideaway.

Papyrus was waiting for him when he got there, sitting on one of the boulders, looking pensive, fingers tugging anxiously at the scarf at his neck. He was so caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't notice Sans arrival at first, but finally seemed to sense he was being watched and turned. He stood and his face brightened into a smile when he saw Sans standing there.

"OH, GOOD! YOU WERE TAKING SO LONG, I WAS GETTING WORRIED."

"just needed a few moments to myself, that's all."

"THAT'S GOOD. ARE YOU FEELING BETTER?"

"a little."

"JUST A LITTLE? WELL, WORRY NOT, I THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL HELP YOU IN ANY WAY NECESSARY TO MAKE YOU FEEL YOURSELF AGAIN!"

"any way neccessary, huh?"

Again, something in that tone of voice. Papyrus noticed that Sans eyes had never once left him, following his every movement.

"do you really mean that?"

Why would Sans ask him that? Papyrus moved quickly to reassure him.

"YES, SANS. I TRULY WANT TO HELP."

Sans grinned. Good. He took a few steps, closing in. His voice became silky.

"what if i told you there was something we could do..something fun...that would bring us closer together."

Papyrus perked up at the idea.

"I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT IT IS. IT SOUNDS INTERESTING!"

Sans chuckled. 

"it's best if i show you. would you like me to show you, Papyrus? I promise you'll like it."

Papyrus shivered as Sans' gaze intensified. He felt himself warm under the heat of that look. Sans continued.

"i need your answer, Papyrus. don't you want to become closer?"

"OF COURSE, SANS! I DO WANT TO BE CLOSER TO YOU. WE ARE FRIENDS AFTER ALL."

"heh. well, after this we'll be much closer than friends."

Papyrus shifted uncomfortably. Sans was being incredibly vague about what exactly he wanted to do, and this made Papyrus nervous. Closer than friends? What did Sans mean by that? His mind whirled in confusion as he tried to come up with an answer. He wanted to be a good friend. He wanted to make Sans happy...

"WOULD IT...MAKE YOU HAPPY IF WE DO THIS?" Papyrus' voice was unusually soft, his wings withdrawn in uncertainty.

Sans grin widened. It was as good as done. His voice became a low growl.

"more than you can imagine, Papyrus."

"W-WELL, I GUESS IF YOU..."

Sans didn't wait for him to finish. He had gotten all the agreement he felt he needed and there was no way in HELL he was going to allow Papyrus to back out on this now. His eye was suddenly alight with magic as he stalked toward Papyrus. 

Papyrus, startled at Sans' sudden aggressive approach, retreated till he felt his back hit the wall of the cave. It was there that Sans pinned him, staring up into Papyrus' face with a predatory, hungry look that made him shake in fear and excitement and something else he couldn't put a name to. He was intensely aware of the cool wall of the cave against his wings in contrast the warmth radiating off of Sans in front of him. Sans was very close, barely giving him any room for movement. Papyrus' eyes were once more caught by that single glowing blue eye that seemed to bore into him and through him, reducing all perception to that small space between them. 

"S-SANS!? WHAT ARE YOU...?"

"we're done talkin', Pap."

In one motion he had reached up, grabbed the scarf around Papyrus' neck and dragged Papyrus' face down to his level, where he took advantage of the fact that Papyrus was still mid-sentence to engage him in a passionate kiss. 

"MN?!"

Papyrus's eyes became as wide as saucers as suddenly he felt something warm and wet force it's way into his mouth, exploring greedily. While his conscious mind was scrabbling frantically, trying to make sense of what was happening, his own magic was already unconsciously reacting. Papyrus felt it pool in his mouth, forming and solidifying in response to Sans' eager explorations. Papyrus had the brief mental image of that shimmering blue tongue he had only glanced a few times prior to this, before that tongue found his own and teased at it, caressing around and over and under it till Papyrus began to reciprocate. 

Suddenly, a new sensation as Papyrus felt one of Sans' hands slide up and under his battle body to begin caressing the lower edge of his ribcage, sending small waves of unfamiliar heat and pleasure through his body. His wings fluffed in reaction, and every feather felt like it was standing on end. His breath seemed to catch and a small moan escaped him before he could prevent it, muffled by their kiss. The frantic stream of conscious thought stopped dead as though someone had thrown a wet blanket over it, and Papyrus mind become a bit hazy. The fear ebbed away.

Oh, my...that felt really good...

Sans kept up the kiss for some seconds longer, continuing to stroke and tease at Papyrus' ribs under his clothing. Papyrus could feel his legs getting weak, becoming unwilling to support his weight as he sunk deeper into those touches. Sans sensed this and slowly pulled away, a gossamer string of wetness stretching then breaking as their tongues parted. He pulled Papyrus' scarf the rest of the way off and shifted his grip to support Papyrus' weight as he helped him down into a sitting position, kneeling next to him. 

He surveyed his handiwork smugly for a moment. Papyrus was slumped against the wall breathing heavily, looking up at him with a dazed expression. His face was flushed and his wings were ruffled...the sight made Sans' bones burn with lust. He could already feel the current of his own magic flowing into his pelvis. Right now he wanted nothing more than to relentlessly fuck the daylights out of the trembling angel in front of him. 

He forcibly reigned himself in. He had to make sure Papyrus enjoyed this every bit as much as he did if he wanted to ensure a repeat performance.

"heh. finally found a way to shut you up. now to get you out of those clothes."

Quickly, he shrugged out of his hoodie and stripped off the shirt beneath it, then began to fumble at Papyrus' battle body, looking for the catch. Finally with a grunt of satisfaction he found it, removing and discarding it to the side with the scarf. Papyrus shivered as his ribs were exposed to the open air. His soul underneath was emitting a low, even glow, feeding off of and communicating his turbulent emotional state. Enough of his awareness came back to him that he instinctively moved to cover it in embarrassment, but Sans stopped him. He removed each hand, and as he did, he tugged off the gloves that covered them. 

"nope. none of that. i wanna see everything." He watched the orange glow of Papyrus soul for a moment before smirking up at him. "you're really enjoying this so far, huh?"

He didn't think it was possible, but Papyrus' blush got even darker.

"I-IT FEELS STRANGE...BUT...IN A VERY GOOD WAY." Papyrus' voice was shy. 

FUCK, but he was so irresistible! Sans let out a low groan of his own as another wave of desire washed over him, slowly eating away at the edges of his self-control. 

"SANS WAIT, I...AAH...HHN!~"

Not wasting any time, Sans had leaned back in to run his tongue up along the side of Papyrus' neck, lingering to nibble (not too hard...yet...he told himself) and suck softly at the vertebrae. Papyrus made a small sound, turning his head to give Sans better access to the delicate neck bones. Sans then slowly worked his way down, his tongue and his hands cooperating to seek out all of the angel's most sensitive areas, reveling in each whimper and moan he wrung out of the body in front of him. Some of these areas were expected...the neck, the clavicle, the sternum and ribs above where the soul resided...some not so much. Sans' hand snaked up Papyrus' back and under his wing, enjoying the warmth of the soft feathers tickling the back of his hand. He brushed against the shoulder blade, causing Papyrus to whine and arch slightly into him. Shit, he'd have to remember that one, he noted, as his hand continued to move, he found and and stroked at his spine, fingers dancing over and dipping between the ridges.

"NYAAHH...HAH..." Papyrus' hands shot up and grasped at Sans' chest, and he heard Sans suck in a sharp breath of air at the contact, Papyrus' long, thin fingers gliding over the smooth bones of his ribs.

"hah...Pap...that feels really good..." 

The small part of Papyrus that was still capable of thought latched onto the encouragement. He could make Sans feel good too? He wanted to do that. His own hands began to wander over Sans body, hesitantly returning the caresses he remembered from earlier. Sans breath quickened as he began to utter his own small moans and gasps. He didn't expect Papyrus to learn so quickly. Papyrus' hands grazed over the bones at his sides, trailing down to the floating ribs at the end of his rib cage, and Sans thought for a moment he was going to lose it, growling at the pleasant shudder that ran through him.

"f-fffuck..." he managed

Papyrus' eyes widened in wonder as he saw the expressions change on Sans face as he touched him. Sans eyes had become unfocused and hazy. He decided that he really liked it when Sans looked like this...sounded like this...it made his soul glow brighter to see it and knowing that Sans was enjoying himself seemed to heighten Papyrus' own pleasure in a way he couldn't describe. Yet again his magic responded and he felt a warm, insistent pressure form under his shorts. 

Sans noticed as well, his hands dropping so that they rested on Papyrus' hipbones, where he rubbed small circles as he gazed hungrily at the glow in between Papyrus' legs. Papyrus squirmed a little, though from the fingers working at his hips or the look, he wasn't sure. Maybe both? Sans looked back up at Papyrus and grinned.

"got something there for me, pap? why don't we take a look."

Sans small, deft hands caught at the waistband of his shorts, where he made quick work of the front buttons and drew them down, revealing Papyrus' erection, a single bead of liquid magic at the tip. At the base of it, around his pelvis, more of Papyrus magic had gathered where it eddied and swirled invitingly. Sans felt his own soul tighten as more of his control withered. He somehow managed to get Papyrus' pants the rest of the way off and then spread his legs, positioning himself between Papyrus's knees. 

Papyrus looked down at himself with a mixture of awe and confusion. He'd never been able to do something like that before! He looked back up at Sans apprehensively, wondering if maybe he might not like it. Was he doing something wrong?

Sans caught the look and chuckled. 

"don't go getting your soul in a knot, thats a perfectly fine bone you've made for me there. look, i've even got one of my own."

Sans carefully eased his shorts off, revealing his own member, a bit shorter, a bit thicker, and made of his own glowing blue magic. Sans was now fully unclothed and exposed in front of him, and Papyrus finally got a small moment to appreciate the sight. The demon's frame was smaller, but the bones were sturdier compared to Papyrus' own finer bone structure. He could faintly see the powerful blue glow from behind Sans' sternum, where his soul burned hotly with his desire. Yes, Sans was very great and beautiful indeed.

Sans ran his hands along the insides of Papyrus's femurs, and they trembled under his fingertips. 

"these are gonna help us feel even better, see?" Sans murmured and reached forward to wrap his hand around the base of Papyrus' member. He slowly stroked upwards and over the tip, teasing a moment, and then back down again to give another gentle squeeze. Papyrus cried out at the contact.

"AAAAAH~~SAAA-NS...PLEASE..." 

"please...what?"

"I...DON'T KNOW...I...JUST...."

There was a pause as Papyrus searched for what he wanted and could only find one word that worked.

"M-MORE...."

"heh...sure thing, gorgeous. now watch this..."

Sans leaned over and his tongue slipped out of his mouth to swirl around the head of the member in his hand as though giving it an experimental taste. Then, finding he liked it, his tongue slid the rest of the way down, curling around the shaft in a way that no physical appendage could, applying a steady, wet friction. Papyrus made another desperate noise and his hand went to his mouth. Sans' gaze slid upward to lock with Papyrus' own, his eye burning and intense. Papyrus was held fast by that look, unable to pull his eyes away as he watched Sans lower his head further and take every throbbing inch of him into his mouth.

The heat and wetness were exquisite and Papyrus' hips eagerly tried to move up to meet it, only to be restrained firmly by San's other hand, which applied firm pressure to keep him in place. Papyrus laid his head back against the rock wall of the cavern behind him, his eyes drooping as he began to lose himself in the sight and sound and feeling of Sans breath and tongue on him. His free hand came up to rest on the back of Sans head, grasping, trying to urge him to do more, to go faster. He felt so hot and sensitive and there was something building inside him, he didn't know what it was but he wanted it so bad...so very bad...

"HNNG....SANS...FEELS GOOD...SANS....MMN" 

Sans watched Papyrus unravel and listened to the sweet music of his voice calling out to him, becoming an almost physical sensation that ran over and through him like a burning flame. His one hand left Papyrus' pelvis and he began to stroke his own heated member, keeping rhythm with his ministrations at Papyrus' pelvis. That's right. Papyrus should look only at him...see only him. He wanted to make sure that Papyrus would remember every moment and sensation and know that Sans had been the one to make him like this, the one who had wrecked him completely and totally. Sans felt spurred on by his triumph.

He could sense Papyrus was getting close and withdrew, running his tongue over his teeth in anticipation. As he sat back, Papyrus gave him an alarmed look, dismayed that Sans had suddenly stopped. 

"NO...WAIT...WHY..." Papyrus could barely put his thoughts together anymore.

The final few threads of restraint fluttered as Sans took in Papyrus' needy, almost frantic expression.

"never thought you would be the impatient one." Sans voice was hoarse with his own need.

He grasped at Papyrus' hips, sliding him down the wall and onto the floor, pulling his knees over his hips and repositioning him for better access. The unexpected motion caused Papyrus to yelp. Sans lined himself up, guiding himself to the entrance in Papyrus' pelvis, the swirling magic there an enticing invitation. 

"here i come, Pap." 

That was all the warning Papyrus got as Sans slowly thrust forward. The barrier of magic resisted for a moment before giving way, enveloping him as he buried himself himself in the angel below him. They cried out as one, Sans' low, growling moan twining together with Papyrus' higher keen of bliss.

Papyrus could feel his magic shifting and stretching to accommodate Sans, making him feel filled to the point of being almost overwhelmed, every nonexistent nerve tuned in to the heat and steady pulse of Sans' magic. He never thought a feeling like that could exist, it was so wonderful.

Their mouths came together in another kiss, tongues intertwining as Sans waited for Papyrus to adjust to having him inside him. Papyrus' arms wrapped around Sans, yearning to be closer, to be as close as he could ever possibly be in this moment. Their tongues parted again and Papyrus buried his face in Sans' neck, shivering. Sans leaned in to rumble into his ear.

"Y o u a r e m i n e."

The words shot through Papyrus, shaking him to his core and causing his magic to tighten reflexively around Sans. His hands shifted, clutching at Sans' back, his fingertips grazing along the base of Sans' wings. A new wave of heat ran down Sans spine and, combined with the swirling, tight magic around him burned away the final wisp of his self control.

Sans began to move, pulling out almost entirely before driving forcefully back in, causing Papyrus to shout at the sensation of being suddenly emptied and filled again so quickly. He then set up a pounding, insistent rhythm, past the point of holding back. Every hazy thought and vibrant sensation focused on taking complete possession of the angel underneath him. Papyrus, also beyond coherent thought as he once again began to feel the inevitable buildup from earlier, writhed and babbled in ecstasy, his own hips straining upwards to meet Sans each time he plunged into him. Feeling Papyrus move so seductively beneath him drove Sans even further up the wall, causing him to quicken and intensify his own movements. Papyrus' magic responded, hot and wet and roiling around his length. Within him, the promise of his own release began to mount. Both of their souls shone intensely, Papyrus' warm orange glow contrasting with Sans' burning azure flame. 

"AH...I...SANS...DON'T STOP...HAAAH....SOMETHING'S....NNNG!"

"you're fuckin'...ah...mine...belong to me...mmn...gonna fuck you...whenever i want...hah...Papyrus..."

Sans had just enough presence of mind left to reach down and take hold of Papyrus' still-slick member, pumping it in time with their movements. A few rough strokes was all it took and Papyrus was not so much pushed as thrown over the edge. He came hard, Sans' name on his tongue as his mind went blank, the only thing registering being that single bursting point of contact between himself and Sans. His release spattered their ribs as waves of pleasure and euphoria radiated up from his pelvis and through his body, reducing him to a shuddering, gasping mess. 

As he came Sans could feel Papyrus' magic clamp around him, which in turn brought him to his own peak. His thrusts became uneven and stuttering as he also climaxed, growling a string of near unintelligible obscenities as he felt similar sensations roll up and through him, sapping him. Papyrus felt Sans' spurting magic fill him, mixing its heat with his own and coating the inside of his pelvis. Through the thick haze in his mind he felt a vague sense of awe as he watched Sans come above him before slumping down onto his chest, completely spent and trembling.

They lay there for some time as all evidence of their activities slowly evaporated into little wisps of blue and orange color, though Papyrus could still feel the pleasant tingles from all the places the magic had come into contact with his bones. The pulsing of their souls slowly wound down as a peaceful lethargy settled over them both. Sans settled himself into a more comfortable position on Papyrus' chest and grunted in smug satisfaction. Within moments, he was snoring soundly, having drifted off to sleep.

Papyrus looked down at him and quirked an eye ridge. Again with the sleeping. Sans really seemed to enjoy his naps. Papyrus was beginning to think he was nothing but a big lazybones. On the other hand, seeing him like this, face slack and at ease as he slept, it was very rare indeed, and Papyrus liked it quite a bit. He shifted slightly, bringing his arms up to drape around the short demon in a gentle embrace. One hand wandered up to Sans skull, running his fingers curiously along the hard ridges of bone that made up one of his horns, tracing it down to its sharp tip. Another thing he wouldn't get the chance to do if Sans was awake. Papyrus hummed in contentment.

As he lay there, holding Sans, he thought about a lot of things. He wasn't entirely sure how he felt about everything that had happened just now. It had all gone so fast, and Papyrus had been caught up and entirely carried in the moment without the chance to properly consider what Sans wanted from him. Not that it hadn't felt good. It had felt better than anything Papyrus could have dreamed of. He felt a small wave of warmth as he remembered what they had done. It was just...just that it seemed like something that should have happened differently, perhaps, more gradually. He wondered what Sans had meant when he said that now they would be closer than friends. He thought it sounded very nice.

Papyrus shook himself mentally. No. It was fine. Sans was happy. That was what Papyrus wanted, and he refused to regret that. There was no doubting that Sans had thoroughly enjoyed himself. Papyrus cheeks flushed a bit as he remembered how Sans had looked, how his expressions had changed throughout. He did want to see that again. Even the rough bit at the end. That had been as much a part of who and what Sans was as everything else, and Papyrus couldn't hate that. His soul even beat a little faster with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness at the thought that this might happen again. Sans had as much as promised it there at the end. He wondered briefly what would happen to them next. The things Asriel had told them still floated in the back of his mind.

Everything would work out fine! he told himself. After all, who was he but The Great Papyrus? Whatever happened, he would fight to make sure everything turned out alright. If anyone tried hard enough, good things would happen. He was getting nowhere by continuing to let his fears gnaw at his heart.

He looked back down at Sans sleeping face. Maybe his idea wasn't such a bad one.

Papyrus searched around them with one hand till he found Sans' jacket and pulled it over the sleeping demon's shoulders, then draped his arm once again across him. Then Papyrus then allowed himself to be lulled into a light doze by the sound of Sans' steady breathing. The world would have plenty of things for them both to be worried about once they were done resting.

It could wait for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man... All you guys are seriously seriously awesome.
> 
> Words cannot express. (#o.o#)
> 
> I seriously re-read comments when I get stuck or discouraged. It really helps. You are all so wonderfully positive.
> 
> Can't promise I still won't get nervous every time I post (especially as this is obviously not the only smut planned), but again:
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> Thank you for commenting.


	13. Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone's being a smug ass and cant keep his hands to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no I am not dead...neither is this fic...
> 
> I just had a REALLY bad bout of writer's block on this. I want to apologize for taking so long to update. oof. 
> 
> Hopefully the next chapter will come easier.
> 
> On the upshot more smut for all you sinners?
> 
> I promise we'll get more plot next update.
> 
> [MY TUMBLR IS HERE](http://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com)
> 
> I want to drop special thanks to the following people:
> 
> **Undertailsoulsex** ([Tumblr](http://undertailsoulsex.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/undertailsoulsex/pseuds/undertailsoulsex))  
>  **Psycho4sans** ([Tumblr](http://psycho4sans.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/psycho4sans/pseuds/psycho4sans))
> 
> These two wonderful fellow writers gave me a lot of encouragement and helped me stay motivated while I struggled through this. Seriously check their work out they both have some WONDERFUL fics posted here!

Papyrus' wings were a mess.

Papyrus sat on his rock, his gloves laying beside him. He was turned slightly to the side as he preened meticulously, fingers prodding and smoothing his feathers back into their places, giving the occasional exasperated huff. Sans, leaning against the wall behind him, watched him through half-lidded eyes, a smug grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He was feeling very satisfied with himself, his mind buzzing with contentment. In his pocket, he played idly with the feather as he remembered and replayed what had happened, his thoughts overflowing with the sights, sensations and feelings. He had every reason to be pleased.

He had claimed his prize, after all.

His wings.

His angel.

He couldn't wait to do THAT again. He definitely wanted more.

Forget the canary, Sans looked as though he had eaten the whole damned flock.

Papyrus could feel Sans' gaze burning into the back of his head. How long was he going to stare? He was being near insufferable, and Papyrus pointedly tried to ignore it as he continued to straighten his wings. He had everything mostly in place, but he was having a hard time getting to the rearmost feathers again. Keeping in mind what had happened last time, he carefully but stubbornly continued to try different ways to try to reach them.

A few moments passed of him vainly trying to get to the ruffled mess before he heard a rumbling chuckle from behind him.

"that, uh, doesn't seem to be working too well."

Papyrus felt a barb of irritation and he turned to shoot a vexed look at the demon, who raised an eye ridge at him, amusement playing across his face.

"WELL, IT'S YOUR FAULT THEY'RE LIKE THIS..." Papyrus accused

He didn't think it was possible, but Sans' grin got wider. His eye glowed blue for a moment as his tongue appeared, and he ran it over his teeth suggestively.

"yeah. that WAS my fault, wasn't it?"

Papyrus felt his face heat up. With a perturbed sigh, he suddenly "discovered" another stray feather and focused once more, raising his wing in a way that hid his face from Sans' view.

Sans looked at the barrier of golden feathers appreciatively. So many new reactions...he was so cute...Sans finally admitted to himself...

So cute...and so completely Fuckable...

And he was in a great mood, and those wings were very inviting, so...

"hey, Pap...you want some help with that?"

He could see Papyrus pause, all motion stopping briefly as his offer was considered. After a moment the wing lowered and Papyrus peeked out over it at Sans, looking hopeful.

"DO YOU MEAN IT?"

Sans shrugged, looking away as though it didn't matter one way or the other.

"yeah, sure. why not."

"WHY, THANK YOU SANS!"

Sans approached from behind as Papyrus stretched his wings out a little to make it easier for Sans to get at the feathers near the center of his back.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?"

"i got it."

Sure enough, Sans was a quick study. All of the time he had spent watching the angel care for his own wings paid off as he nimbly maneuvered the feathers, straightening them and easing them into place. Papyrus relaxed as Sans continued running his hands over them, smoothing and petting them flat. It felt even better than the last time, when Sans was merely poking and prodding out of his own curiosity, now that his hands moved with a sense of purpose. Papyrus felt all tension drain out of him, and he sighed contentedly. It occurred to him that maybe Sans COULD be gentle...sometimes.

He shifted his wings slightly as Sans worked around to the undersides.

Sans, on the other hand was enjoying himself thoroughly, though he'd never have admitted it out loud. He liked running his fingers through the soft feathers, examining the individual feathers as he evened them out. The way that the vane of the feathers came apart and went back together again seamlessly when he pulled lightly at them, as though nothing had happened, was intriguing to him. And the smell that surrounded him was wondrous, both earthy and comfortable. It still surprised him how quickly Papyrus relaxed as his hands moved over the mussed wings. 

Sans still had a hard time wrapping his mind around how Papyrus could be so unguarded around him. Something about his openness made Sans feel strange. On the one hand it was a thrill to know that if Sans desired, he could reach out right now and have the defenseless angel right where he wanted him. He could do whatever he wanted to hurt Papyrus or worse. On the other hand, something about the amount of trust Papyrus was showing unsettled him. There was a pricking sensation in his soul that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He only knew that it was unpleasant and disconcerting, so he ignored it.

"SO WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO TODAY, SANS?"

Sans started slightly as Papyrus' question broke him out of his thoughts.

"what did you say?"

"WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO?"

Sans' mouth turned down slightly and his hands stopped moving for a moment. No matter how good his mood was, recent experience didn't exactly have him wanting to leave the confines of their little space quite so quickly. He wanted some more time to decompress...among other things...

"eh. i'm perfectly fine where i'm at."

Papyrus gave Sans a disappointed look.

"WE WON'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING BY JUST STAYING HERE."

"and what do we accomplish, exactly, by going out there?"

"I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE."

Sans gritted his teeth. Dammit, why did he always insist on expending his energy pointlessly helping others? Especially when he should know his place was here, with Sans, not out there, with a bunch of infuriating mortals. He had learned, however, that arguing with Papyrus directly was like trying to knock over a solid brick wall with his bare hands. He had to find a way around that stubbornness, and he thought he knew how.

He pressed himself against Papyrus from behind, one arm curling around his waist. He rested his chin on Papyrus' shoulder, purring into his ear.

"i would rather you stay here to help ME out instead."

Sans continued petting the top of Papyrus' wing, running his fingers between the feathers, massaging the muscle underneath. The sensation of Sans' hand on his wing and his warmth behind was even more soothing, and Papyrus leaned into the contact complacently, unwinding even further. It was so pleasant. Papyrus was completely and totally comfortable resting against him, just like this. He hadn't even heard Sans through the buzz of peaceful contentment in his mind.

Sans almost dropped him in surprise. Holy Shit. He was expecting Papyrus to become flustered...to blush...to...something. He was not expecting Papyrus to melt into him like this. Not gasping or moaning, but just softly reclined against him, apparently without a care in the world. The pricking sensation in his soul returned and he quickly shoved it away as he considered this new and interesting reaction that he had gotten from his angel. It didn't feel bad, exactly...

But this was not the mood he wanted to set, and it was throwing him off. He swore internally.

"SANS?"

"what is it?"

"WHAT WE DID EARLIER..."

Sans froze. Now where could THIS be going? Papyrus asking questions was never a good thing.

"YOU SAID WE DID THAT BECAUSE WE'RE GOOD FRIENDS?"

"yeah"

There was a pause.

"DO...ALL FRIENDS DO THAT?"

Sans almost choked. The question was completely innocent, but the mere SUGGESTION of anyone else claiming his angel made Sans' wings flare behind him aggressively. Where the hell...?

"absolutely NOT." he snarled.

Papyrus turned his head to look at Sans questioningly, surprised at his sudden shift in tone. Sans glared back.

"you're mine. no one else gets to have you. EVER."

Sans thought he saw a flash of something in Papyrus' expression. Was that relief? He couldn't be sure.

Papyrus continued to watch Sans' face as though he were searching for something.

"IS THAT WHAT YOU MEANT BY CLOSER THAN FRIENDS?"

He wasn't sure he wanted to answer that. He fished for a reply and then found one. Sans grinned wolfishly.

"dunno, pap. how much closer can I be than when I'm inside you?"

Papyrus' cheeks went a sudden bright shade of orange as Sans' words brought back images of what they had been doing earlier. They left him feeling a bit warm and he looked away nervously. Sans continued to speak.

"you seemed to be enjoying yourself at the time. i bet it was a really DEEP experience."

Sans felt a wave of satisfaction as Papyrus reacted to his words. There we go. That's what he was looking for, but he wasn't done quite yet.

"you were just SOAKING it up, weren't you?"

Papyrus squirmed a bit in his seat.

Sans really liked Papyrus when he was like this. He just couldn't help himself. He felt a familiar burning rush through him, his inflamed magic settling in all the familiar places.

"hey, Pap...gimme your hand..."

Papyrus looked back up at Sans, puzzled.

"WHAT? WHY DO YOU WANT MY HAND?"

Sans gave a teasing laugh.

"c'mon, just trust me..."

Sans reached forward, resting his palm for a moment on the back of Papyrus' hand, his thumb rubbing softly against the white bone. When Papyrus didn't protest, Sans closed his grip, fingers tightening over the hand, guiding it behind the angel's back. Papyrus yelped as Sans pressed his palm against something hot and hard through what could only be the fabric of Sans' pants. Sans uttered a low moan, and Papyrus watched as his eyes drooped and became half-lidded. Papyrus felt his soul quicken.

Sans began to move Papyrus' hand, running it over the straining magic beneath his shorts, up and down along his length, showing him exactly how he wanted to be touched. Even through the cloth Papyrus could feel the thrum of Sans' magic, and knowing what Sans wanted to do with that magic, where this was leading, sent an electric shiver up his spine. He felt Sans' breath at the side of his face as the demon panted, growling softly into his ear. 

"fuck, Papyrus...mmm...just like that..."

Suddenly Sans' hand was gone...Papyrus stopped cold, his mind blank and his cheeks flushed. He could still feel that pulsing heat under his hand.

Sans chuckled, amused. His eyes moved up to look at Papyrus' face, whose wide eyes were still transfixed, looking back at him. Definitely cute. The feeling that he was corrupting that purity gave him a rush like no other, exciting him even further. He gazed at Papyrus provocatively.

"why'd you stop, Pap? don't be shy...keep going..." he rolled his hips lightly into Papyrus' hand, trying to give him the hint.

There was a moment's pause where Sans wondered if maybe he had pushed too far...asked Papyrus to do too much on his own too early.

But then he felt Papyrus' hand begin to move once again, rubbing tentatively at first. Sans' noticed Papyrus' expression change from uncertainty to one of curiosity and fascination. Sans pressed his pelvis into that wonderful friction and rumbled again.

"hmmmm...yeah, there you go...you can to better than that though..."

Papyrus, becoming bolder, began to use more pressure. He recalled when Sans had touched him the last time, and what had felt good then. He gave an experimental squeeze, tightening his grip. Sans made a startled noise.

"ah!...shit, that's real good, but not too hard, ok? fuck...hah...just don't stop."

"O-OK, SANS..."

Papyrus flush grew deeper as he realized the bulge under his hand was becoming larger and more defined as he continued to caress it. So that's what it felt like...both hard and at the same time not and twitching slightly in his grip. Sans continued to make small, pleased groans and growls in his ear as Papyrus continued. This was so lewd...so embarrassing...but he also didn't want to stop. Sans was making so many interesting faces, and he kind of liked it.

Finally confident that Papyrus wouldn't falter, Sans reached out and began dragging his fingers along Papyrus' spine, pressing into the spaces between the individual vertebrae. Papyrus, whose magic was already becoming agitated, gasped loudly, arching lightly into the touch. He almost forgot to keep his hand moving, but somehow he managed to keep it together through the haze that had descended on his thoughts. He began to moan softly as Sans' hand wandered upward to where his spine met his lowermost ribs, brushing at them just under his battle body.

"MNNAAH...THAT'S...THAT'S VERY GOOD..."

San's could feel the warmth of Papyrus' soul against his hand as it kindled in response to his touches, and he felt a sudden urge to reach up under Papyrus' ribcage and touch the glowing mass that made up his core. 

But he didn't...something about doing that...

It was so tempting though.

In the meantime, Papyrus shivered under his touch as he fought the urge to sink too far under the fog of pleasure that threatened to overwhelm him. If he fell too far, he wouldn't be able to continue doing as Sans asked him. He had been told not to stop, but at the same time, it just felt so wonderful!

Sans could tell Papyrus just wanted to let go of himself already, and he found that the play of conflicting emotions on his face was one HELL of a turn on. 

Of course he was eager to please. 

Papyrus was his.

As he continued to grope at Papyrus' spine, his other hand wandered downward, slipping under the back of Papyrus' shorts and brushing against his tail bone. Papyrus gave a choked cry at the stimulation, and he quickly clamped his other hand over his mouth in surprise at the sound that had escaped him. His eyes squeezed shut at the sudden shock through his body. Oh stars, there was just so much. He whimpered as Sans' hands continued to move on him, not giving him the chance to fully process what was going on. The fire in his bones, Sans stroking along his spine and fondling his tail bone, the heat in his palm that he was beginning to wish was somewhere else and...

"SANS!~ I CAN'T...I...TOO MUCH..."

"heh. that's ok, i'll take care of it."

Papyrus felt the void as Sans' hands left him for a moment before he felt a firm pressure on his back as he was pushed to his feet, legs quavering. Still in a daze, he allowed the demon to guide him. Before he knew it, he was bent over and leaning against the wall of the cavern, his forehead against the cool stone. The chill on his skull brought him back a little, and he realized how awkward and exposed this new position made him feel. He heard the soft rustle of fabric from behind and he turned his head to look back at Sans, wondering what this was all about.

Sans had removed his shorts. Papyrus' gaze was caught by his exposed member, and he stared at it, his magic churning in him with a heavy need he had only recently discovered. He remembered what it had felt like before, having that pulsing energy inside him and he wanted it again. He looked up to see that Sans had noticed, a cocky grin plastered across his face. The demon ran his hand languidly over his length as he spoke.

"see something you like, Papyrus?"

Papyrus felt his face grow hot again. Sans was deliberately picking on him! He felt a stab of irritation.

"THAT ISN'T VERY NICE..."

Sans moved up close once more.

"oh. i don't know about that..."

His hands came to rest on Papyrus hips, toying with the hem of his pants, staring eagerly.

"i'm having a REAL nice time."

Before Papyrus could respond, Sans caught the waistband of Papyrus' shorts and pulled them down with a sudden jerk, dragging his fingers along the now exposed bone of his pelvis as he did so. Papyrus inhaled sharply, the sensation of being so quickly exposed combined with the rough touch catching him off guard. He shuddered, wings quivering.

Papyrus' magic hadn't quite coalesced yet, and Sans could feel the spark of it through his fingers as his hands moved over Papyrus' pelvis, following the curves and dips in the smooth bone. Positioning his hips, he began to grind into Papyrus from behind, running his throbbing cock along the bottom of the angel's sensitive pubic arch. Papyrus keened, pressing himself back to try and encourage further movement, waves of pleasure rolling up through his body, his soul pulsing beneath his ribs. It wasn't long before Sans felt more than bone along his length as Papyrus' magic began to flow forward with more purpose, coming together to form both a seeping orange member and a dripping entrance.

Sans, wanting more, was waiting for this. Papyrus was finally ready for him, and he was no longer willing to be patient. Pulling back, he adjusted his angle and with one fluid motion, plunged himself into the gathered magic in Papyrus' pelvis, driving in up to the hilt. Oh FUCK it felt so good to have Papyrus wrapped around him again, so tight and hot and welcoming.

"AAAAH!~SAANNS..."

Papyrus' back arched as Sans entered him, his one hand scrabbling at the wall. His wings extended to either side of him as he felt that blessed fullness from the last time return. It had been so quick, and a little rough and there was a bit of pain that accompanied the pleasure, bringing tears to the corners of Papyrus' eyes. Sans was pressed against him and Papyrus could feel the beating of his soul in time with his own. He instinctively reached back with his other hand, grasping at Sans behind him, wanting to feel some part of him, any part of him.

Despite the almost irresistible urge to begin moving, Sans was momentarily caught breathless as those magnificent wings spread before him, their brilliant soft orange contrasting dramatically with the blues, blacks and greens of their cave. He felt his soul flutter for a moment at the sight of it. Then he saw Papyrus reach back toward him. An idea came to him and he caught Papyrus' hand, pulling it downward.

Papyrus gasped in surprise as his own hand was brought into contact with his cock and guided so that his fingers were wrapped around the shaft. It was an odd feeling, handling his own magic like this, so unlike the bone the rest of his body was made of, slippery and twitching with need. Then Sans' hand was back at his hip. Papyrus gave him a startled look over his shoulder and Sans chuckled.

"heh. this time, you get to do it."

Papyrus had just enough time to feel the wash of embarrassment at the thought of touching himself as Sans watched, before the demon withdrew and gave a sharp thrust. Papyrus moaned loudly at the shock that ran up his spine as Sans finally started to move within him. Their hips rocked in tandem as Sans set the pace, using the leverage he had at Papyrus' hips to pull him in with each thrust, trying to get as deep as possible. Their movements caused Papyrus to buck into his own hand and oh...oh stars, that felt so good. Suddenly embarrassment was the last thing on his mind as he became fully lost in the sensations of the moment. He fought to keep his knees from buckling under him.

Sans noticed the change and it filled him with a heated satisfaction to watch as Papyrus gave in to his desires, openly stroking himself as Sans fucked him from behind. His eyes were drawn down to where they were connected, watching himself slide in and out of the angel, hearing the slick sounds as he sank himself repeatedly into that heavenly swirl of dripping energy. The sight of his own blue magic enveloped in that vivid orange glow was unbearably arousing. The cave resounded with their gasping, groaning noises as they continued to move together, their voices building to a fever pitch as they both approached their climax.

Papyrus felt Sans begin to falter, his rhythm becoming uneven as he finally reached his limit. The demon snarled as he finally felt the tension within let go in an explosion of pure ecstasy. His fingers dug in sharply as he pulled Papyrus back onto himself as he orgasmed, spilling into him. Papyrus shouted as he finished a few moments later, feeling the intense euphoria of his own peak roll up through him, spattering the cave wall in front of him in orange.

Sans felt all of his energy drain out of him, and he slumped heavily into Papyrus as a warm lethargy took over. Papyrus' legs must have also given out, because Sans could feel him sink to his knees, carrying them both down to the cavern floor. There was a shifting beneath him as Papyrus turned so his back was against the wall, and Sans grumbled in irritation at being moved. After some more adjusting and jostling, he somehow ended up with his head resting in the angel's lap, Papyrus' hand trailing softly over his skull. His initial instinct to fight the unaccustomed closeness was soothed and melted away in the warm pulsing of his soul as he wound down from his climax. It wasn't so bad, if it was just for a little while. He could hear Papyrus' breathing, still deep and somewhat heavy as he rested, and the sound of it gradually lulled him into a deep pleasant sleep.

He woke sometime later, the feel of the soft moss on the cavern floor against his cheek pulling him back to reality. He knew it couldn't have been long. His naps were usually relatively brief, resulting as they did from self indulgent pleasure than any real need. He sat up slowly, his bones popping from being curled up on on the stone floor. Fuck, that was uncomfortable. He REALLY needed to start looking for a better place for them to stay. He felt a slight chill across his lower half and looked down.

Oh right.

No Pants.

Pants seemed like a good idea right now.

He searched the floor around him. Where in the hell did they go? He really hadn't been paying attention to where he'd kicked them off to.

Oh.

There they were, folded up neatly next to him.

Sans snorted. Leave it to Papyrus to be obsessively neat in the middle of a fucking cave. It just seemed like something he'd do.

Speaking of which, it was awfully quiet. Was Papyrus sleeping?

He stood, sliding his pants up as he did so, taking the chance to look around, searching for Papyrus in their small space.

What he found filled him with a mix of cold rage and dread.

Papyrus was nowhere to be found.

His angel was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted plot to happen.
> 
> Sans wanted another go at the angel.
> 
> I fought this for weeks.
> 
> FINE...but now he gets to be a pissed lil turd at the end of the chapter, so there.
> 
> ((it also seriously works out in terms of the overall story, but still...yeesh))


	14. Presence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans is missing his angel. Plot Happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [MY TUMBLR IS HERE](http://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com)
> 
>  
> 
> Again big thanks to the following for editing help, word suggestons, encouragement, etc:
> 
>  **Undertailsoulsex** ([Tumblr](http://undertailsoulsex.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/undertailsoulsex/pseuds/undertailsoulsex))  
>  **Psycho4sans** ([Tumblr](http://psycho4sans.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/psycho4sans/pseuds/psycho4sans))  
>  **Eiznel24** ([Tumblr](http://eiznel.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Eiznel24/pseuds/Eiznel24))
> 
> These people all write EXCELLENT fics. (you should be reading their stuff first...great stories)

What in the ever loving FUCK was Papyrus thinking!?

 

Sans seethed as he paced their small cave, his tail lashing violently. Didn't Papyrus know who he belonged to? He had no business running off to...wherever it was he had decided to flit off to in whatever moment of idiocy had descended upon him. His only place was with Sans, he had no business being anywhere else. Why would Papyrus even consider taking off like this? 

 

It wasn't like Sans had been cruel or anything. Sure, he liked to fuck with the angel a bit, to 'ruffle his feathers', so to speak. But it wasn't like Papyrus had ever shown anything more than a temporary annoyance at most of Sans' antics. Their alliance was a mutual thing, after all. Though Sans was confident HE was receiving the lion's share of the benefits. Not many wanted to bother them when they were together, making them both safer. And recently things had been MORE than pleasant...and Papyrus had seemed to enjoy it just as much as he had. At least...he appeared to...

 

Not that it mattered. What mattered was that his angel had suddenly decided to take the fuck off to who-knows-where to do who-knows-what, by himself. Papyrus knew there were other angels around...He had been TOLD that they wouldn't tolerate one of their kind that had allied itself with a demon. If they didn't outright kill him, which would be a waste, they would whisk him off to some unknown place that Sans had no chance of reaching. And it wasn't like Papyrus could deny their relationship...after all, the smell of Sans' magic would be all over him.

 

Heh. In some corner of his thoughts, Sans still had enough presence of mind to be proud of that.

 

And what if Papyrus ran into another demon? Sans remembered what Papyrus had told him about the first demon he had met, that he had almost convinced the angel to go with him. He had related it to Sans as though the demon had been another kind soul, just trying to lend the poor angel a helping hand.  

 

Bullshit.

 

Could he really be sure that if another demon approached Papyrus...

 

Papyrus was so earnest and trusting. He'd probably believe anyone with a kind word and a plausible story. Even if that kindness was false. Even if the other's intentions were less than genuine. And then what would happen to him?

 

Sans knew exactly what would happen to him.

 

They would break his toy, in all the worst ways.

 

An image of broken bones and torn wings...a voice crying out in pain...

 

Sans soul clenched painfully at the thought.

 

Fuck that.

 

He would be damned if he would allow Papyrus to be taken from him by anyone or anything, whether it be angel, demon or whatever the hell else decided to get in his way.

 

Sans wasn't done with him yet.

 

So of course Sans had to find him. He would find Papyrus and drag him the fuck back if he had to tie that feather brained bonehead's wings in a knot...

 

Well at least he couldn't have gotten far.

 

Sans concentrated, trying trace him, to get an idea of where he had gone so he could follow. When he got his hands on him...

 

His soul gave a sudden, sickening lurch.

 

What. The hell. Was THAT?

 

That...was BIG. It had to be a demon. It could ONLY be a demon, from the way it felt; that heavy, dark pressure that only demons gave off. But Sans had never felt something that large. It was easily twice the size of anything he had come across before. 

 

And it scared the living shit out of him. 

 

How the hell had he not noticed that getting close?

 

Where was Papyrus?

 

Sans tried again to feel for him, but his attention was constantly pulled back to that demanding presence. Like listening for a single note in a cacophony of noise, it was near impossible to locate anything around it for some distance. If he wanted to find Papyrus, Sans was going to have to do it the old-fashioned way.

 

Sans felt his soul move restlessly in his chest. He should stay right where he was. It was too dangerous to leave with that...thing running around. Any sensible creature in their right mind would just wait for it to go away. Sans supposed some weaker-willed demons might try to kowtow to the beast, but he had absolutely NO intention of doing that. Even if he did there was no guarantee that whatever it was would be open to negotiating. He wasn't taking that chance. Avoidance was the best option.

 

But what about Papyrus?

 

Sans' soul thumped.

 

It would be Papyrus' own fault if that thing found him.

 

But Papyrus was his.

 

So what? That thing out there was definitely stronger than Sans could handle on his own. If it had gotten to Papyrus, there wouldn't be a damned thing he could do about it...and it really WOULD serve him right.

 

Yet again that image of broken bones and torn wings....

 

Would Papyrus call out for him? Would he expect Sans to save him?

 

Papyrus was HIS ANGEL...

 

FUCK!

 

...and finding him was going to be one monumental pain in the ass.

 

Sans moved with purpose, barely containing the simmering storm of emotion within his soul. Even as he climbed the wall leading out into the rest of Waterfall, he continued to keep tabs on the looming presence of the other demon. How could he not? While he couldn't pinpoint its exact location at this distance, it didn't seem to be getting any closer. He was perfectly fine with that. He would just search wherever he could while avoiding it and hope to hell Pap was nowhere near it.

 

And if he was?

 

Sans tried not to think about it.

 

He searched tirelessly. The hall of lanterns...the cave with the luminescent pond...the dump...he visited these places and more. Literally searching high and low, he used his magic to clamber to different vantage points, trying to catch even the smallest glimpse of orange gold or the slightest glimmer of a halo. In one room he found an abandoned cart, its umbrella listing drunkenly to one side. In another he found a broken down statue, water pattering solemnly down on it from some unknown source high above. The entire time he continued to reach out for some hint of Papyrus' magic, some sign of where he was. Remembering Papyrus' earlier request, he even approached the few mortal homes in Waterfall. Perhaps his helpful nature had drawn him there in search of some conflict to soothe or some wounded soul to heal. 

 

But he wasn't there either.

 

Sans couldn't find him, which meant...

 

He tried to calm the growing tension in his soul. It meant nothing...yet.

 

Sans finally stopped for a brief rest at the far edges of Waterfall, entering a cavern marked by a sign as the "Wishing Room". He had hoped that maybe getting as far away as he could from that unbearably loud son of a bitch would allow him to more easily sense where Papyrus was. But even though he was as far away as Papyrus could have reasonably gone, every instinct in his soul screamed at him not to lose track of the other demon. It wouldn't allow him to concentrate enough to find the angel, even at this distance. He took a few deep breaths, trying to collect himself, searching for what should be done next.

 

As he worked to cool his heated emotions, he took in his surroundings. His eyes wandered over the cool blue and grey stone walls, dimly lit by the soft glow of echo flowers. A few of the plants bloomed, even here, dotted throughout the small cavern. There were plaques set into the wall at intervals, most likely by the mortals who lived nearby. Sans ignored them, they were probably stupid and wouldn't help him find Papyrus. His tail made a soft scraping sound as it swiped back and forth across the rock floor in agitation. The tip brushed against one of the flowers, triggering the last thing it heard and drawing Sans' attention.

 

_"A long time ago, monsters would whisper their wishes to the stars in the sky. If you hoped with all your heart, your wish would come true. Now, all we have are these sparkling stones on the ceiling..."_

Sans scoffed at the blue flower...wishes? Yeah, right...what a load of bullshit. Sans wondered vaguely how many of these creatures' hearts had been broken by the expectation of a granted wish that never came. He smirked at the thought. That would be amusing to watch. And these 'star' things probably weren't all that impressive to begin with...

 

He looked up.

 

His soul stilled for a moment as his eyes were met with hundreds of little points of light glimmering down on him from the darkness above. 

 

He didn't know how long he stood there, staring.

 

And these weren't even the real thing?

 

Papyrus might like to see this.

 

Shit! That's right! Papyrus...

 

Sans returned to himself with a start. He didn't have time for this. He had to find Papyrus.

 

His thoughts seemed to be much calmer now. Much of the anger had drained away, leaving only a nervous, gnawing agitation that prodded him with a persistent desire to locate Papyrus before...

 

Sans suddenly caught himself.

 

What the fuck was wrong with him?

 

Why did he care?

 

Sans shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against a nearby wall, thinking hard. He could feel the tickle of the feather in his right pocket as his fingertips brushed against it.

 

He...cared?

 

Hell no! 

 

Papyrus was his and Sans wasn't done playing with him yet. It was only natural that Sans wanted him returned in one piece. That's all this was. Sans wanted his toy back. He thought about the things they would do once Papyrus was back with him, where he belonged.

 

Where the HELL could Papyrus have gone?

 

The only places left were entirely too close to the other demon for Sans' comfort. Getting near was foolish at best and suicidal at worst. If Sans could at least get an idea of WHERE to look...

 

Sans focused, trying once more to seek out any trace of Papyrus' magic. He HAD to be there somewhere, but that larger presence was still drowning out everything else around it. So Sans could only guess.

 

As he thought, his eyes roamed the room until they came to rest on the echo flower he had accidentally triggered with his tail. Something tugged at the back of his mind...

 

Echo flowers.

 

The field of echo flowers.

 

Of fucking course! That had to be it! Where else would Papyrus have gone? He was spending time among those stupid flowers again!

 

Now that he was certain of where Papyrus had to be, any hesitation instantly evaporated as he launched himself in that direction, moving as fast as his legs could carry him. He cursed his stunted wings. If only he could fly, he'd be there in no time. A part of him was still screaming that this was stupid, that there was no benefit to throwing himself into danger for one idiotic angel. It was all overridden, however, by the need to find Papyrus and get them both out of the range of that thing as quickly as he could.

 

The fear in his soul grew to a fever pitch as he neared the field of echo flowers. The other demon was close. However, as the distance continued to shrink, he also began to feel a familiar glimmer in the midst of that dark press. It was Papyrus! He had finally found his Angel!

 

A new, unfamiliar emotion washed over him.

 

Relief?

 

And with the relief came a resurgence of anger. What in the HELL had Papyrus been thinking when he'd wandered off like that!? When Sans got there, so help him...

 

Sans felt his soul lurch once more. 

 

That presence.

 

That overwhelming, dark, frightening presence was moving.

 

And it seemed to be heading in their direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ironic line of this chapter:
> 
> ((How the hell had he not noticed that getting close?))
> 
> right. I wonder HOW...


	15. Echoes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we discover the answer to the question: Where did Papyrus go?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [MY TUMBLR IS HERE](http://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com)
> 
>  
> 
> Again big thanks to the following for editing help, word suggestons, encouragement, etc:
> 
>  **Undertailsoulsex** ([Tumblr](http://undertailsoulsex.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/undertailsoulsex/pseuds/undertailsoulsex))  
>  **Psycho4sans** ([Tumblr](http://psycho4sans.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/psycho4sans/pseuds/psycho4sans))  
>  **Eiznel24** ([Tumblr](http://eiznel.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Eiznel24/pseuds/Eiznel24))
> 
> These people all write EXCELLENT fics. (you should be reading their stuff first...great stories)

Sans was sleeping so peacefully

Papyrus sat there, cradling Sans' head in his lap, gazing at the demon as he slept. It was nice to see him so at ease and restful, a complete contrast with the tempestuous expressions that seemed to be in constant motion across his face when awake. Petting Sans' head gently, he enjoyed this small moment of peace as he watched the rise and fall of Sans' chest under the blue fabric of his hoodie.

It was hard to believe sometimes that the Sans curled up so docilely in his lap was the same volatile demon who was so outwardly malicious to other creatures. Papyrus wasn't stupid. He still remembered how Sans had provoked fights and contention for his own amusement as they had traveled together. He knew Sans got up to no good when he was out of sight...Sans was a demon, and while Papyrus may have been oblivious when he was still new and blessedly ignorant, he had learned a lot in the time they had spent together.

Papyrus recalled Undyne's words...

Was he a bad angel?

He felt a sudden tightness in his soul and his brow creased for a moment in thought. No! He couldn't be. He was the Great Papyrus, he wanted nothing more than to help those who needed him, encouraging them, praising them when they did well, chiding them when they went awry...

_"Why would you want to be around such a creature?"_

Why indeed? This Sans was nothing like the mortal he had followed loyally through half the underground. The kindness...the gentleness...all seemed to have been stripped from him in those frighteningly violent moments following his rebirth. He was truly a different creature. Only a vague shadow of the previous Sans remained, like some distant mirage that could be glimpsed but never truly be reached.

And yet, Papyrus still wanted to be with him.

As he had continued to move his hand across Sans' skull, fingers lingering over the contours of Sans’ horns and then coming down to scratch lightly at their base, he became aware of a new sound. A low, rumbling noise that reverberated from the body reclined against him and up though his leg. Papyrus stared in concern at Sans for a moment before realizing what it was.

Purring.

Sans...was purring?

Papyrus' eyes widened marginally and his cheekbones flushed. His soul brightened for a moment at the realization, and a soft smile stole across his face.

That...was absolutely adorable. And something he alone had witnessed--A moment he could keep as all his own.

Still feeling the soft pulse of their afterglow, Papyrus was content to remain like that for a while, pleasantly lethargic, allowing time to stand still around them. Even the slow in and out of their breathing seemed to sync as he enjoyed their closeness and the pleasant vibration of Sans' soft purring against his leg.  
  
After some time, though, he began to feel a nagging urge build in his soul. He truly enjoyed this time with Sans…he really did, but he just didn't feel right sitting here when there were so many other things he could be doing. And if Sans was going to persist in causing trouble, well, Papyrus would just have to make up for it by putting in twice the effort. It should be a simple task...after all, he was very great.

So slowly, quietly, Papyrus had eased out from underneath the sleeping demon, settling Sans onto the soft moss of the cavern floor. He then rose, stretching limbs and wings out as far as they would go to work out the kinks. Stone floors didn't make for good resting spots, Papyrus considered. Feeling the brush of the cooler cavern air against his pelvis, he looked down, realizing he still had no pants on. That's right, they had been removed when...

Oh dear. He flushed bright orange, shooting an embarrassed look at Sans. That's right, he was sleeping, no need to be concerned...

Until he realized that Sans wasn't wearing any pants either.

Papyrus' eyes traveled along the curving line of Sans' spine where it emerged from his shirt, down to where it tapered and curved in slightly at the delicate tail bone. The flare of his hipbones, smooth and white, leading around to...

Papyrus began to feel very warm.

Ok. Time to find his pants.

He quickly located them on the cavern floor and pulled them back on. He also spotted Sans' shorts tossed in a small heap some distance away. Papyrus huffed. It was just like Sans to just toss them wherever. Gathering them up, he folded them and set them next to their owner before turning to leave.

He'd only be gone a little while, really...

Papyrus fought down the small twinge of guilt in his soul as he glided smoothly across the pond that separated their cave from the rest of Waterfall. He wouldn't be gone for long. He was just going for a walk; It wasn't like Sans had told him he couldn't leave.

Once across the pond, he paused for a moment to contemplate his next move. It didn’t take him long to figure out where he wanted to spend his time. Spreading his wings once more, he took off in the direction of the echo flower field.

Stars, it felt so good to be flying. The confining ceilings of the Underground kept him from doing much more than gliding a short distance above the ground in most places, but feeling the stretch and pull of his wings supporting his weight with an almost effortless strength was liberating.  
  
When he finally reached his destination and landed, he sighed in contentment. The gentle glow of the pale blue flowers lighting the dim cavern were always a comforting sight. Ever since they had discovered the field it had been a refuge for him, a place where he could be alone with his thoughts. Even the Great Papyrus needed to get away sometimes! He found it intriguing - hearing the flowers, listening to snippets and pieces of the lives, feelings and concerns of those who passed.

His only regret was that so much of what he heard left his soul feeling sad and empty. There was so little hope in the Underground since the Human had passed through. Papyrus did everything he could to help those he met and encourage them, but listening to the echo flowers sometimes made him feel as though he were fighting a losing battle.

But the Great Papyrus was not one to give up so easily! There had to be something good to be heard here—some encouraging word or uplifting report of good things. After all, Undyne had said that the other angels were becoming more active, so it wasn’t as though Papyrus was working alone. He was confident that they must also be encouraging and helping the mortals! And he was trying HIS best as well. Surely he can find some evidence of that somewhere.

So he kept searching...brushing his fingers across each of the waist high flowers as he passed, hearing every passing conversation.

_"...the supply lines are broken...how will I feed my children..."_

_"...he fell down yesterday...his family depends on him...now they're alone..."_

_"...keep checking the reports in New Home...she hasn't been found yet...I fear the worst…"_

Papyrus continued on with a determined, set look on his face. There had to be one, somewhere...some word of encouragement...of hope...

There was a small stream of luminescent water that cut across the path under a small bridge. Papyrus crossed it, and, not finding anything promising where he was, finally moved off of the worn path. He followed the small stream as it meandered through the field of flowers. He moved slowly, taking time to appreciate the beauty of the glowing water as it flowed lazily in its bed. Through some trick of magic or nature, there was a light breeze here, and the rushes and cat-tails that lined the banks swayed gently. Papyrus could hear the chirping of small insects and the trills of small, cave-dwelling frogs as they called from among them, mingling with the sound of the rushing water.  
  
He was so enamored with what he was seeing that he almost missed it when he brushed against the next flower.  
  
_"…the surface."_  
  
Papyrus paused…he hadn't caught it all, but the tone had sounded different…dare he say…hopeful? He turned and regarded the glowing flower he had just passed. Reaching out, he tapped it lightly with one gloved hand.  
  
_"So what are you going to do when you get to the surface?"_  
  
It was a deep voice, rich and resonant, likely male. The surface? What was that? Papyrus pondered the words for a moment. He honestly didn't know. However, the speaker’s tone of voice had been remarkably different than all the other conversations he had heard thus far. Where before voices had been hushed, full of anger, despair or resentment, this voice sounded bright and curious. Walking a few steps more, Papyrus touched the flower next to he first. A higher voice this time, soft and musical, this one female, answered.  
  
_"I want to see what a human looks like!"_  
  
Papyrus continued to follow the trail of flowers along the stream.  
  
There was a low chuckle from the first voice.  
  
_"Why would you want to meet a human? After all that's happened?"_ Rather than sounding accusatory, he merely sounded amused, as though he were entertaining someone’s silly fancy.  
  
_"I'm being serious!"_ replied the second voice. _"I mean…they can't be all bad can they? My grandmother said that long ago, there was a human who lived with the royal family. It was loved by everyone in the Underground. That doesn’t sound like an evil creature to me…"_  
  
_"I guess you could be right there…"_ The first voice again  
  
_"Anyways! What about you? What do you want to do on the surface?"_  
  
_"….you'll laugh at me…"_ He sounded shy, reluctant.  
  
_"Not at all!"_ came the reassurance.  
  
_"I…want to start a bakery! I heard that there's an insane variety to the food on the surface! I would love to learn all about how to make human sweets! I already know how to make my mother's cinnamon bunnies…"_ his voice faltered.  
  
_"That’s not silly at all…I've had your cinnamon bunnies before, they're good!"_ She replied. There was a long pause and Papyrus almost went to the next flower before she continued _"Do you…think you'll need some help?"_  
  
When Papyrus touched the next flower, all he heard was a series of unintelligible noises that seemed to be coming from the first voice. Was the flower broken? Papyrus didn't think so. If it wasn't then, why in the world would anyone make noises like that? He moved on to the next flower.  
  
The female voice giggled.  
  
_"Is it really all that strange that I would offer? I've told you before how I feel about you."_  
  
The first voice became hesitant.  
  
_"Y-yeah…it’s just that…well…"_  
  
Some of the brightness left the second voice.  
  
_"You don't sound sure…do you…not like me?"_  
  
Papyrus' felt a small pain in his soul. The tone of her voice…she sounded like she might cry. He didn't want that to happen. His soul was in his throat as he went on to the next flower.  
  
_"NO! I like…no I love you too…it’s just that…why ME? I don't deserve…"_  
  
Her voice became sharp.  
  
_"Why do you say that?"_  
  
_"I just…LOOK at me! I'm small…weak…my dream is to bake cinnamon bunnies, for stars’ sake! You deserve someone stronger, more confident, maybe with sharper teeth and a handsome tail he can wag whenever you make him happy, which I'm sure will be all the time…"_  
  
She cut him off.  
  
_"I read a human book once."_  
  
_"Huh…what? What does that…"_ He stuttered, obviously caught off guard.  
  
Papyrus also wondered where this was going.  
  
_"It was a wonderful book"_ she continued. _"full of magic and adventures…anyways, this one guy was told he was not allowed to love the main character because of what she was…he said a very interesting thing…"_  
  
_"What in the world are you even…"_  
  
_"I love whom I love."_  
  
The next flower was silent. Papyrus, hoping this wasn't all there was, continued to the next. Something about this conversation resonated with him, making his soul quiver with feeling. Thankfully the next flower seemed to resume the conversation.  
  
Her voice was firm, almost snappish, the earlier brightness replaced with an unshakable conviction.  
  
_"I love whom I love. I love YOU. I could give you a million and one reasons why…but that doesn't matter. What matters is that, for WHATEVER reason, I love you. If you feel the same way, then don’t run away from it. And quit trying to talk me out of it, because it’s not going to change…not now…not ever…"_  
  
Papyrus felt his heart warm as he listened to these words. This was what he had wanted to find. While his faith in mortals had never wavered—While he truly believed that the brighter things still existed in the Underground, that they weren't truly gone, it was an entirely different matter to actually HEAR it. It was truly amazing to Papyrus that the actions and thoughts of mortals could be just as encouraging to HIM as his assistance could be to them.  
  
One by one Papyrus had followed the uneven trail of blue flowers along the banks of the meandering stream as it wound lazily across the flower field, finally making its way to the far end of the cavern. Here it curved into a smallish offshoot, not so much its own cave as a secluded pocket jutting out from the main body of the cavern. There was a tiny clearing within that pocket, a clear space surrounded all around by even more of the glowing blooms. A gentle slope led down to a still, clear pool, which filled the small space with its gentle glow. The stream ended here, tumbling gently over a small cluster of rocks before splashing gently into the small pocket of water. Despite this being an obvious dead end, Papyrus was disappointed to find the owners of the voices were nowhere to be seen.  
  
_"…you really are too good to me"_ the first voice continued, his voice soft.  
  
_"Oh don’t you start with that…"_ the second voice began to chide, but then… _"Oh! We're here!"_  
  
Papyrus stepped into the clearing, brushing the next flower with his fingertips.  
  
It was the second voice again.  
  
_"Look up,"_ she said  
  
Papyrus looked up…and gasped in pure delight.  
  
The ceiling of the cave was completely aglow with thousands upon thousands of small, blue-green lights. Scattered randomly across the low ceiling, they radiated a cool brilliance, glistening softly amongst clusters of small beads and strands that hung from the ceiling. Like tiny chandeliers, each wet strand was bedecked with crystalline droplets of moisture that caught and reflected the light from above and below in all directions. In some places the lights were clumped so close together that many lights became one and in others spread out in a smattering of brightly shining pinpricks that dazzled the eyes. They trailed from one end of the ceiling to the other before thinning out and coming to an end partway down the upper wall of the cavern.  
  
It was beautiful.  
  
Papyrus kept his gaze upward as he triggered the next flower.  
  
The first voice gasped.  
  
_"…It's kind of like the wishing cave. But, wouldn't people know?"_ he breathed.  
  
_"No. They aren't stones, they're living things. Each of those dots is a small creature. They also make those strings up there too. For every 30 days that they appear, there are 150 days they don’t. My grandmother showed me. She said it was a secret place and if I ever found someone special, I should bring them here."_  
  
Papyrus continued to gaze at the spectacle above him in wonder. Living creatures made this? It was truly great!  
  
Sans might like to see this.  
  
Papyrus sat himself down among the tufts of luminescent grass in the small clearing, knees pulled up and chin resting on his crossed arms. His gaze moved back and forth between the still pool in front of him and the shining lights above him, drinking in the sight. There was a deep feeling of peace and contentment here that he hadn't found anywhere else in his short existence. All the tension left his shoulders and he felt his wings relax, spreading out behind him a bit, the warm orange of his feathers bathed in the cool teal light that surrounded him. He felt like while he was here he could let things go and stop thinking for a bit, just soaking in the beauty around him and feeling like, one way or another, things would just be okay.  
  
The clearing really was very small, the open space just big enough for a handful of people to occupy comfortably without trampling the flowers. Papyrus noticed that the blades of grass in the small clear space around him were pressed flat and he wondered what could have caused it. He gave up thinking about it when he noticed there was one more flower…just within reach. Reaching out, he tapped it gently in the center, triggering the last thing it heard.  
  
_"I love you"_

  
_"I love you too"_  
  
Papyrus smiled. He hoped they were happy…they sounded happy…  
  
He wondered what Sans was doing.  
  
He should probably head back now.  
  
Papyrus rose, brushing himself off and wondering if Sans was awake yet. He felt another pang of guilt for leaving without telling Sans that he was going or even where he was going to be. He wondered if the demon would be worried about him. He wasn't sure. The way Sans behaved sometimes, he wasn’t sure if the demon actually needed him. The thought that he might not filled Papyrus' soul with an ache he didn’t want to acknowledge. No, he had to stay positive! As an angel, it was part his job, and he would be the best at it. Sans had SAID they were friends and that he wanted them to be closer, and Papyrus would just have to take his word for it! And if Sans was upset, he would just have to apologize when he got back. If he were truly sincere about it, surely Sans would forgive him.  
  
But the first thing he had to do was get back to Sans. But what if he had left while Papyrus was gone? He would hate it if they missed each other. Papyrus turned his attention to feeling out where Sans could be.  
  
Oh Stars…  
  
Papyrus' drew his wings in reflexively.  
  
That…certainly wasn't Sans.  
  
Papyrus' brow creased with worry. Whatever it was—It was definitely similar to Sans in some ways; a dark, heavy presence that had to be demonic in nature. But it was big...overwhelmingly big…and it made Papyrus uncomfortable. Whatever it was seemed to be close by, and Papyrus shuddered at the cold feel of the thing. He didn’t care for the pall that it threw over such a large portion of the Underground—A place that was already entirely too weighed down by negative thoughts and emotions. He felt, deep in his soul, as though there should be something he could do about that darkness. But then again…What could he possibly do? Papyrus could tell it was stronger than he was. He shifted uncertainly where he stood, unable to decide for a moment…until he remembered…

That’s right…where was Sans?

Taking a deep, calming breath, Papyrus once more focused on trying to find Sans’ familiar presence.

It was very difficult. They were so similar in nature, shadow hidden in shadow…and the presence of this other demon was so large that it pulled at the edges of Papyrus’ concentration, demanding that he pay attention to it. However, the last thing he wanted to do was lose his head and go charging off after Sans when he had no clear idea of where he was.

He stood for a long time, patiently waiting, feeling for that familiar, comforting darkness he had grown so used to.

There.

It was faint…so hard to pick out against the overpowering pressure that loomed nearby, but there he was. It was Sans. Papyrus felt a wave of relief wash over him. Even better, Sans seemed to be headed in his direction at a unusually fast pace. That made things easy. At this rate, they could probably meet up halfway. Papyrus relaxed a bit, though he was still concerned. Since when had Sans ever moved that quickly? Had something happened?

Papyrus’ concentration was broken as he felt the new presence press in on him, becoming suddenly stronger and yanking his attention forcibly back to the other demon. It…was getting closer. Its movements were slow…deliberate, but it was most definitely approaching him. Papyrus felt his soul shudder as that weight approached and he could feel himself waver between his concern for Sans and a pressing need to push back the darkness that was approaching them…

Once more he tried to redirect his attention to Sans. It seemed as he got closer, Papyrus was able to find him more easily, and it only took a few moments before he could sense Sans’ familiar magic…only…

Sans wasn’t heading in his direction anymore.

He had veered off and was now heading in a new direction, diverging from his original destination. Papyrus’ brow furrowed in puzzlement…where in the world…?

It didn’t take him long to figure it out…

Sans was heading toward the other demon.

And he was going to get there first.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The little space Papyrus found, I based it off a real phenomenon found in New Zealand...check out a picture [HERE](http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1133208/images/o-GLOW-WORMS-facebook.jpg)
> 
> ALSO, got some fanart from some wonderful people!:
> 
> [ THIS](http://yaoiaddictionstar.tumblr.com/post/147431469895/despite-the-almost-irresistible-urge-to-begin) from YaoiAddictionStar on tumblr. (ohmigawsh the wings in this I DIE!~)
> 
> [ and THIS](https://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com/post/146947464014/nsfw-eebs-a-sketch-for-the-amazing-ff-sunlight) by nsfw-eebs on Tumblr. (Love your use of color friend!)


	16. Trials

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans heads off a new threat...
> 
> I'm sorry (part 1)... (o.o;;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [MY TUMBLR IS HERE](http://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com)
> 
> Again big thanks to the following for editing help, word suggestons, encouragement, etc:
> 
> **Undertailsoulsex** ([Tumblr](http://undertailsoulsex.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/undertailsoulsex/pseuds/undertailsoulsex))  
>  **Psycho4sans** ([Tumblr](http://psycho4sans.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/psycho4sans/pseuds/psycho4sans))  
>  **Eiznel24** ([Tumblr](http://eiznel.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Eiznel24/pseuds/Eiznel24))
> 
> These people all write EXCELLENT fics. (you should be reading their stuff first...great stories)
> 
> Extra special shout out to Eiznel on this chapter and his insight on bones.

What the hell was he thinking?

Once he realized that the demonic presence was heading toward Papyrus—toward HIS angel—his body moved on its own, a marginal change in direction pointing him toward the intruder, and further away from Papyrus.

Papyrus was safer where he was at.

Now Sans stood before a wide opening in the cavern wall that traveled further back into the caves of Waterfall. It was a path Sans was familiar with, having explored the area quite thoroughly when he and Papyrus had visited the echo flower field. He felt fortunate that THIS was where the rolling pressure seemed to be coming from. Like many of the other caves leading away from this particular cavern, it ran back into a labyrinth of tunnels and winding passages that criss-crossed with each other in a confusing jumble. However this particular passage didn’t branch until further in, creating a choke point, and he relaxed at the knowledge that there was no way the thing was going to get to Papyrus unless it got past him first. He could feel the approaching presence somewhere within that maze, weaving back and forth as it wandered toward them through the passages of Waterfall.

Hands thrust into the pockets of his jacket, Sans hesitated for a moment at the threshold, considering his options. There weren’t many. The demonic presence continued to move, making slow but steady progress toward them. It was only a matter of time. Sans could either wait for it to come to them—where it could easily out-maneuver him to get at Papyrus—or he could go in to meet it.

He clenched his hands, the sharp tips of his phalanges biting into the bone of his palm. Why in the hell had that feathered ninny chosen now of all times to take his happy ass on a frolic through the flowers? And because of his boneheaded whim, Sans was now standing here, thinking of confronting something that he could tell was more powerful than both of them combined. His tail twitched in agitation at the knowledge that this interloper was in his territory and coming entirely too close to what was his. Uneasiness also gripped him…bringing with it the disquieting sense that he may not be able to do a damned thing about any of it. Unless he could come up with something very clever very quickly, it was gonna take a fucking miracle to get them out of this.

His sharp grin widened with dark humor.

Heh. Too bad miracles really weren’t his thing.

“well, lets get this the fuck over with then…” he muttered to himself.

Entering the cavern, Sans cautiously followed the path back, its many twists and turns winding ever deeper into Waterfall. Luminous moss lined the cavern walls and floors, lighting the way and throwing patterns of blue-green light and shadow across the gray stone. He could hear the occasional drip of moisture falling from the small stalactites hanging above and the louder rushing noise of swiftly running waterfalls in the distance. As he continued, Sans found himself hoping with all his soul that he had made a mistake. Perhaps whatever it was would give up and go home, stymied by the maze of caves and tunnels it had found itself in… or maybe it would just pass them by and head to some unknown destination in another part of the Underground.

Yeah...and if wishes were feathers, he could build himself another angel.

Wait…

Sans froze.

The presence had stopped moving.

He waited, but it remained where it was, immobile.

Like it was waiting.

…shit.

Progress slowing to a crawl, Sans moved forward cautiously. He tried to remain silent as he approached, hoping to remain unnoticed. The tunnel began to widen, leading to a larger cave ahead that served as a junction point, the first of many splits and divides that fed back into the labyrinths of Waterfall. Sans could feel the tension in his soul tighten—not in fear, he told himself, never in fear—as he approached the heavy pressure ahead of him.

There was a large boulder, tipped askance across the opening that led into the larger cavern ahead. As he approached the exit, Sans hid himself behind it. He took advantage of the safety it seemed to provide even though it obscured his view. Feeling the other presence strongly now, Sans could tell it was just on the other side of the rocky barrier. Now how in the hell—

“Quit wasting my time and get the fuck out here already,” a low voice rumbled.

Well, so much for remaining hidden.

Sans emerged from his hiding place and stepped forward, his wings spread wide behind him and his tail curled around him on the stone floor, radiating all of the confidence he didn't feel at that moment. Not wanting to leave the path behind him unguarded, Sans made sure he only came a short way in—just enough to see and examine what exactly it was he was dealing with.

Fuck, he was big.

Even sitting down, Sans could see the demon was huge. Was he reptile? Aquatic? Sans couldn't tell. There weren't any gills visible, but dark green scales glinted in the dim light and his ears flared out in a way that vaguely suggested fins or frills. Sitting near the center of the cavern, the demon was leaning back against a tall, smooth stone which stood at the edge of a small pond fed by the dripping stalactites above. A flat, rudder-like tail, thick and tapering, was curled around him on the floor, and two large, leathery wings were spread out behind him. When he saw the shallow cuts and scratches littered across his thick scales and the large, wet, red patch that stained the fabric of his shirt on the left side, Sans felt a small surge of confidence. He was hurt.

Despite his injuries, though, the demon disregarded him entirely, examining a gash on his clawed hand speculatively and giving it the occasional lick with a wet, sinuous tongue.

The silence stretched between them as the demon continued to ignore Sans, punctuated occasionally by the faint plink of water droplets hitting the top of the large stone before they trickled down into the pool. As the seconds passed, Sans felt the irritation and tension in his soul grow to the point of snapping.

“now who’s wastin’ whose time, buddy?” he growled.

Pausing in his attentions to the wound on his hand, the demon looked up. Sans found himself pinned by a pair of malicious, mud-brown eyes. They stared at him coldly, and Sans felt a shiver like ice run up his spine.

“Ballsy little shitstain, aren’t you?” the demon said, his voice resonating through the room in a low basso that Sans could feel in his very marrow.

“says the one who looks like they were dragged ass-backwards through a bed of sharp rocks…” Sans sniped.

The demon snorted.

“Ran into some trouble on the surface. Nothing a newly reborn little pissant like you would know about.”

Startled, Sans eyed the other demon warily. He had been expecting…what? Screaming? Threats? …something? He sure as hell wasn’t expecting civil conversation. They weren’t here for a fucking tea party after all. Recalling the cold venom in those murky eyes, Sans’ soul twisted in apprehension. He didn’t trust this for a moment. At the same time however, the demon’s words intrigued him, and Sans couldn’t resist the chance to find out more.

“the surface? what in the hell are you talking about?” he asked.

His question was met by a resonant chuckle.

“What? You didn’t think this was all there was to the world, did you?“ He gave an amused grunt when he saw Sans’ expression. “I forget how SMALL things are down here.”

Sans’ tail lashed in irritation as he scowled at the demon. He didn’t like the look on the bastard’s face, as though he were enjoying some amusing little joke at Sans’ expense.

“you’re not making a damned bit of sense,” Sans spat.

Shifting slightly where he sat, the demon snickered. He rolled up one shirt sleeve to get at another, smaller gash on his upper arm. Sans seethed, anger feeding into the fear and anxiety already swirling within his soul, drawing the internal tension ever tighter. What the hell was wrong with this guy? Acting almost as though Sans wasn’t there… Like he wasn’t radiating threat and malicious intent from every inch of his small frame.

It was as though Sans’ presence didn’t make a damn bit of difference.

“I guess I’m not.” the demon said in response, his tone still light…even conversational. “Hell, you probably couldn’t tell the difference between a real star and those piss-poor stones in the wishing cave if it bit you in the ass. No different from the mortal monsters down here. A fucking bore, the lot of you.”

“like monsters in this surface place are any different?” Sans laughed. “heh, I doubt it.”

One of those cold, muddy eyes slid over to look at Sans.

“There are no monsters on the surface…only humans.”

The recognition and shock caused by that simple statement must have shown on Sans’ face, because the demon’s smile widened a fraction before he elaborated.

“Yes. Humans. I was surprised when I returned to find things so…crowded down here. So many new angels and demons. Then I find out it was all caused by one tiny little human.” This thought seemed to delight the demon, a look of smug satisfaction coming to rest on his features. “Though I’m not surprised. Humans are way more powerful than monsters. I mean, look what a human soul did for me…”

He flexed his clawed hand menacingly, the joints popping, making Sans wince. At the same time, the demon stretched his wings. They cast a long shadow over the cavern floor, making it obvious they were nothing like the smaller, stubbier ones Sans had.

A human soul did that? Sans fought not to show the envy that pierced his soul.

“and here i thought you’d been eating your temmie flakes,” Sans commented dryly.

“Ever wonder what it’s like to fly?”

That hit home. Sans flinched, the jealousy in his soul twisting painfully into spite. This asshole rubbed him the wrong way in every way possible and Sans wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug look off of his face. However, he was still conscious of those eyes, like two dirty chips of ice, watching his every move and reaction. It made him feel exposed, as though every thought and movement were transparent and on display, ready to be bent back and used against him.

“would you get to the fuckin’ point already,” Sans snapped

A shadow flickered across the demon’s face—anger, perhaps?—before he continued.

“You have an angel.”

The statement was blunt and to the point—a simple truth. He KNEW. A hand of ice gripped at Sans’ soul, and he shivered inwardly.

“i have no idea what you’re talking about, buddy,” Sans responded flatly.

“DON’T LIE TO ME!”

The bellow reverberated through the cavern, and Sans instinctively cringed, crouching into a defensive posture and drawing his wings in as the sharp command vibrated through his bones. Fuck, he wished he were anywhere other than here right now. Every particle of magic within him was screaming at him to run away… To get as far away as he could.

There was a pause, and silence rushed back in to fill the gap left behind by that angry shout. Slowly Sans relaxed and straightened again, cursing himself for his reaction. The demon was watching him with a knowing smirk on his face, well satisfied with the effectiveness of his outburst. He continued to speak, picking up the thread of conversation as though he had never raised his voice in the first place.

“I’m not stupid. It’s not fucking coincidence. I start moving towards the closest angel I can sense and then here you come, charging headlong in my direction and REEKING of feathers and sunshine. So don’t lie to me, I know you have an angel.”

Sans felt his sol tremble with barely-contained panic as he fought to calm himself. This was HIS territory. Papyrus was HIS angel. There was no way Sans was going to allow this over-sized fish stick to come in and do as he pleased.

On the other hand, Sans couldn’t deny what the demon had said.

“why does it even matter to you?” he asked.

“I wish to…borrow it for a while. Angels can heal. If you hadn’t noticed, I could use it.”

Sans’ eyes narrowed. Bullshit.

“get your own.”

“Tried that. They fought back and…well…angels perish so easily. Use a little too much force and…whoops.” He chuckled darkly.

Yeah…he DEFINITELY didn’t want this thing anywhere near Papyrus.

“too bad.” Sans replied shortly.

“But fortunately,” the demon continued, ignoring him. “You have an angel…and it seems you’ve already broken it in, too…”

Anger pierced Sans’ soul.

“he doesn’t like strangers.” Sans lied.

“Oh…I’m sure you could convince him to join us. And once he’s here I’m sure I can…persuade him to stay,” the demon said, running his tongue over his sharp teeth in a way that gave Sans no illusions about what he meant.

The anger grew, a low burning in Sans’ bones.

“he’s fine where he’s at,” he said tersely.

“You seem to think I’m giving you a choice!” The demon’s words snapped across the space between them, hard and sharp, before he returned to his previous conversational tone. “Is one angel really worth it, after all? We’ve kept this civil up until now, no reason we can’t help each other out. I can also show you how to get to the surface…and I’m just going to borrow him. You can still fuck him all you want…after I’m done with him.”

Sans stared at the floor, fuming. When he didn’t respond, the demon took his silence as permission to continue.

“If you don’t want to go get him, maybe I should… Just don’t blame me if he ends up dam—”

“ Y o u  w i l l  n o t  t o u c h  h i m.”

The air was suddenly tense with barely contained magic, and he thought he saw the demon recoil slightly as Sans looked up to glare at him, his eye sockets black and empty as the void. The more he heard of the demon’s words, the more anger had built up, raging within Sans’ soul until it had finally come to the snapping point. Every bone in his body hummed with readiness to defend what was his, feet planted wide and wings spread out behind him as he brazenly stared the demon down.

Sans watched as the demon’s startled expression slowly dipped into a scowl, any remaining traces of friendliness evaporating entirely.

“Oh?” he said, that single, quiet syllable dripping with menace.

“i want you to get the fuck out of my territory…or i’ll MAKE you leave,” Sans threatened, his eye coming alight with the blue flame of his magic.

“And how’s a little shit like you going to do that?” the demon growled, his patience at an end. “You could be standing between my knees and you still wouldn’t be able to chew on my balls unless I knelt down to help you.”

“you’re injured…seems to me you’re at one hell of a disadvantage,” Sans shot back. He summoned a row of alternating blue and white bone constructs. They were ready and sharp and rippled menacingly in a flat half circle before him. Now that he was committed he could feel his magic overflowing with readiness, his tail lashing in anticipation. “i’m willing to take my chances.”

“Oh, this scratch?” the demon glanced down at the stained shirt for a moment before looking back up at Sans, a calculating glint in his eye. In one motion, with a painless, easy grace that seemed to ignore the numerous injuries scattered over his body, he rose to his feet. “Trust me…its nothing.”

Fuck.

He was even larger standing up. Petty insults aside, Sans would be surprised if the top of his head could even reach the bottom of this guy’s ribcage. Carrying himself confidently, the demon by all appearances seemed unaffected by the wound in his side as he waited for his opponent’s next move. It was intimidating as fuck, and Sans almost faltered, his bone magic giving the barest of flickers.

However, Sans sure as hell was not going to let this bastard lay one finger on his angel. From somewhere behind him, he could feel the faint, warm pulse of light that was Papyrus. The thought that the angel was safe for the time being calmed him and he felt his magic steady. Examining his opponent, he noticed the bloody patch on his shirt had been slowly spreading throughout their conversation and was now beginning to seep into the fabric at the top of his pants. There was no way that didn’t hurt like a bastard. This guy was strong, but he sure as hell wasn’t invincible. Sans held on to the hope that he still had a chance.

The demon took a step forward.

“Now, will you quick fucking around already and—”

Sans didn’t give him the chance to finish. He was done talking.

The demon yelled in surprise, leaping backward as an undulating wave of bone constructs burst from the ground and arced viciously in his direction from the right. At the same moment, in an attempt to catch him off guard, Sans released the bones floating in front of him, flinging them with deadly accuracy at his opponent.

Despite being caught off guard, the demon easily dodged the first arc of bones. The barrage of wickedly sharp constructs were much more difficult to avoid, and he swore loudly as he clumsily tried to weave between them. Sans watched with vindictive satisfaction as some of the attacks connected, adding to the many shallow cuts and abrasions that already littered the demon’s scaly skin. The real surprise, however, was that immediately after releasing the bony projectiles, Sans had conjured a second wave of rippling bones that sprouted from the earth in another curving arc, this one coming in from the left. The demon was so preoccupied with the first two attacks that he didn’t see the third one coming and unwittingly backed right into them…

…and immediately shattered them with a swipe of his club tail.

Shocked by the ease with which the demon had deflected his attack, Sans almost didn’t hear the hum of magic until it was too late. There, from the left…Sans dodged nimbly, barely avoiding the magic projectiles—where those thorns?—that hurtled at him from the direction of his blind spot. Apparently the demon hadn’t been nearly as lax as he had appeared, for Sans had never seen him conjure the deadly sharp barbs, meaning they must been held in readiness, just out of sight, for quite some time.

There it was again! A flash of green just barely on the edge of his vision was all the warning he received of the glowing green vines of magic that whipped down on him from above, attempting to catch him off guard as he dodged the first volley. Once again, Sans deftly avoided them, sidestepping and ducking the thick green tendrils as they snapped and whistled by, barely missing him.

There was a pause, and they both stood, glaring at each other, waiting for the next one to make a move. Sans felt his soul pulse with elation as he noticed the damage he had managed to inflict on his opponent with that last wave of blue bones. There were smoking burn holes in the demon’s clothing and angry-looking scorch marks along his scales, both attesting to the fact that the last wave of blue bones hadn’t been entirely as useless as he had expected. Sans smirked. Seems like the bastard was gonna need a whole new wardrobe. Even better, Sans was still comparatively unharmed, having dodged everything that had been thrown at him so far.

Maybe this guy really wasn’t a big deal after all.

“Slippery little shitstain, aren’t you?” the demon spat.

“clumsy big fuck, aren’t you?” Sans goaded, trying to ready himself for whatever came next.

“I am tired of your bullshit!” the demon growled. “I’m fucking DONE with it. I’ll get the angel myself!” Once more, he began to move forward.

He froze as a wall of interlocking bones appeared before him, creating a barrier between himself and Sans that lit the space between them with azure light. Behind it, the darker cyan and gold of Sans’ eye flared brightly as he glowered at the demon.

“sorry, buddy. this way’s off limits.”

Raising one hand, the demon conjured a new wave of magic, and Sans cringed internally when he saw the wall of glowing green thorns that now faced him.

“All this over one angel?!” The demon’s voice was full of anger and disbelief.

“not just any angel. MY angel.” Sans replied, his voice sharp and angry.

Sans felt the demon’s eyes on him, angry, piercing, trying to figure him out. It was followed by a derisive snort.

“Oh, you’re a fucking TREAT. Don’t tell me you actually care? About an ANGEL?”

Sans remained silent.

After a few more moments of scrutiny, the demon seemed to come to a decision.

“Whatever. Once you’re out of the way it won’t make a difference,” he grumbled.

“good luck with that. i can keep this up as long as you can.” Sans eyed the glowing thorns surrounding his opponent warily, watching for the slightest flicker of movement.

“Oh I think I’ll manage,” the demon replied, a smug grin pulling at the corners of his mouth.

There was a sharp tug at one ankle and Sans felt the world around him lurch violently as his feet were yanked out from under him. He fell, hitting the ground hard. Vision spinning, he barely recovered his senses before he felt himself being dragged toward the demon and the barrier he had raised between them. The grit and grime from the cavern floor scraped across his exposed bones as the force of the slide bunched his shirt and jacket up under him, painfully tangling around his small wings and abrading his ribs. Panic skittering through his soul at the thought of being ironically toasted by his own magic, he barely managed to banish the wall between them just before he was pulled through it.

The tendril-like magic currently wrapped around his leg continued to draw him roughly across the floor toward the demon who had a huge, shit-eating grin on his face, secure in the knowledge that he had gained the upper hand. That bastard! The wall of thorns had been a distraction, preventing Sans from noticing the creeping magic that had been flanking him until it was too late. Digging his sharp phalanges into the stone beneath him in an attempt to slow his progress, Sans’ mind raced, trying to figure out what to do next.

Well, if resisting wasn’t working…

Concentrating through the haze of panic, Sans quickly shifted his gravity toward his opponent. Suddenly he was falling instead of sliding, the queasy float of freefall taking over as he hurtled ‘down’ toward his opponent. Sans looked down in time to see those muddy eyes widen in surprise before he fell past, right through the space between the fucker’s knees.

Once Sans landed on the rock behind him, he could—

With a sudden, violent yank, the world turned once again—If there had been time to think about it, Sans might have been grateful for not having a stomach—as he was flipped over and brought to a sudden stop. Sans’ vision blacked out temporarily and he bellowed at the sharp, excruciating pain that lanced through his back and into his skull as his spine was snapped taut. Holy FUCK that hurt! Vision clearing, he found himself dangling, swaying gently only a couple of feet from the surface of the rock he had been trying to land on.

The asshole had grabbed him by the tail.

Concentration faltering from the pain, Sans’ magic let go and gravity righted itself, sending him crashing to the floor once more. There was a popping sensation on impact as something in his shoulder gave way. He grunted at this new source of pain, though he had no time to inspect the injury. The demon pulled roughly, hauling Sans under him and out from between his feet by the tail until he was once more hanging upside down, eyes level with the bloodstained patch on the demon’s shirt. A scaly hand reached down and, grasping Sans roughly by the collar of his shirt, turned him and pulled him upright so that he was now looking into a pair of muddy brown eyes, full of a cold hatred that made Sans’ soul seize up in dread.

He was so fucked.

“Last chance, shitstain,” the demon growled at him lowly. “You gonna cooperate or not?”

There was a flash of white and a yell of pain as Sans’ tail whipped up in a wicked slash, aiming for the demon’s eyes.

“fuck you, asshole,” Sans choked out.

He felt a moment of elation as the hand at his collar faltered for just a moment and the demon clapped his other hand over the left side of his face. The moment was short lived, though, as suddenly the demon tightened his grip once more and pivoted, whipping Sans around in a vicious arc and then slamming him forcefully into the boulder he had been trying to land on moments before.

Light burst behind Sans’ eyes as the back of his skull rebounded off the cold stone behind him. He heard the sound of cracking bone as more pain burst from various points on his back…one wing busted…and a couple ribs also…were they cracked or broken? He couldn’t tell. Through the shock he thought he could feel something warm dribble down the back of his skull. He didn’t know the extent of his injuries. All he knew was that it hurt. It hurt like hell and he could no longer think clearly. His head spun and his hearing buzzed and he could no longer put one thought together with another because his whole being was nothing but pain and terror and the certainty that he was going to die. He went limp, stunned and injured, limbs leaden.

There was a pause.

Sans looked up at the demon pinning him, hoping to at least see that he had taken one of the fucker’s eyes out with that last blow. Heh. No such luck. The demon had pulled his hand away from what was only a deep gash on his cheek and was now staring at the blood in his palm with barely-restrained fury. Sans had missed. Either the demon had managed to recoil at the last moment or the injury from when his tail had been yanked had affected the accuracy of Sans’ attack.

Done examining the damage, the demon turned back to Sans and gave him a withering look. Doing his best to fight through the haze of pain that darkened the edges of his vision, Sans returned the look with his own impudent smirk.

“that’s a good look for you,” he croaked.

“So you’re a fucking comedian now?” There was a sudden pressure as the demon began to lean his weight onto his arm, compressing Sans’ chest where he gripped him, sharp claws digging fiercely into bone. Sans groaned in pain…he could feel his sternum creak and the bones in his broken wing grind and grate against each other as he was pressed into the rough surface of the rock behind him.

This was it. He was going to be perished by this over-sized lizard-fish-thing and then there would be nothing keeping the bastard from getting exactly what he wanted.

Sans felt his vision dim as he felt his mind begin to go numb, attempting to shut down and escape the waves of pain as the demon continued to add slow pressure with every intent of crushing Sans under his claw.

Barely able to focus, Sans was vaguely aware of the hum of gathering energy. So maybe he wouldn’t be crushed? Maybe The demon planned on finishing him off quickly with his magic then?

except… it felt warm… and familiar…

There was the loud crack and the burning, charged smell of released magic, followed by a loud yell and violent swearing. Suddenly the pressure at Sans’ chest was gone and he slid down the wall. He hit the floor with a cry as every aching and cracked bone in his body was jarred, bringing him back to vivid, painful awareness of the world around him.

He opened his eyes to see that the demon had jumped aside and had turned. His back now to Sans and was looking toward the tunnel Sans had entered through earlier. Trying to steady his vision, Sans followed his line of sight to see what was going on.

Sans soul lurched.

It was Papyrus.

Fuck. He wasn’t supposed to be here. Sans didn’t want him here, and this thing was stronger than both of them, and what did he do this for, even if Papyrus was going to decide at this fucking moment to come looking for him like some bony puppy, goddamn him because now he was as good as offering himself up, and now they were BOTH fucked and…

Except that’s not how it was.

The panic came to a screeching halt as he processed what he was really seeing.

He was looking at one pissed off angel.

Papyrus stood tall before the doorway, wings unfurled behind him, glowing with an internal light that commanded the attention of all within the room. Despite the difference in their heights, Papyrus gave every impression that he was looking down on the demon in front of him from on high, glaring at him with a gaze full of righteous fury and contempt. Magic surrounded him in serpentine waves, weaving about him in tightly controlled bends and curves. Sans could feel it—The magic was eager to break free and unleash destruction upon the demon standing before him. Other bone constructs, similar to the ones Sans had used, filled the air around Papyrus and hummed with contained potential. The heat of the tightly restrained magic crackled through the air, promising swift and unforgiving retribution.

There had been a time when Sans thought he had seen the extent of the terrible beauty that was Papyrus’ anger but this... This was a whole new level of terrifying. Sans could only stare in awe.

This was Papyrus. THIS was his angel.

And holy fuck, he was just too cool.


	17. Tribulations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Papyrus tries his hardest...
> 
> I'm sorry... (part 2) (o.o;;)
> 
>  
> 
> *****TRIGGER WARNING: ATTEMPTED NON CON IN THIS CHAPTER****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [MY TUMBLR IS HERE](http://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com)
> 
>  
> 
> A big thank you to Undertailsoulsex for providing beta work on this chapter.  
>  **Undertailsoulsex** ([Tumblr](http://undertailsoulsex.tumblr.com)/[AO3](http://archiveofourown.org/users/undertailsoulsex/pseuds/undertailsoulsex))  
> 

Papyrus hadn’t been sure what to expect as he approached. His nerves were taut from the incredible, heavy pressure of the demon’s presence that had only grown as he had drawn closer. He could hear lot of commotion—scraping and scrabbling and the loud electric snap of magic—and he wondered what on earth could be happening to cause such a ruckus. 

Trying to soothe his jittering soul, Papyrus stepped out from behind the boulder half blocking the opening.

He hadn’t expected this.

It took only a moment to process the scene in front of him. Sans was badly injured, eye lights dark, the tip of one horn snapped off. One stunted wing drooped, clearly broken, and his opposite arm hung useless at his side. His shirt was torn, grungy and hitched up to reveal a myriad of cracks splayed across what used to be pristine bone. Another demon towered over him, smirking at him as he pressed down on Sans’ sternum, obviously intending to crush the smaller demon under his weight.

Papyrus felt something he had never felt before.

Rage.

He had been angry before. There had been plenty of occasions where Sans had needled him into irritation, or, for some of his worst offenses (usually involving tormenting some poor mortal), outright anger. However, what he felt now blew anger away like chaff in front of a strong wind. His mind buzzed with it and his focus narrowed till all he could see were the two demons in front of him with cold clarity. The fury burning in his bones merged with some deeper instinct—an innate desire to destroy the foul creature in front of him and wipe its dark influence from the face of the earth.

This thing had DARED to harm Sans, and that filled him with righteous rage.

Without thought, Papyrus’ magic came immediately to his command, a barrage of bone attacks hurtling at the larger demon. His magic was full of the intent to perish him on the spot. Despite the anger, Papyrus was surprised to find he still had complete and total control. Not one projectile hit close enough to harm Sans.

The demon, however, wasn’t so fortunate. He noticed the vicious attack just before it hit. Though he dodged to the best of his ability, he couldn’t avoid them all. Those that hit laid open more wounds on the creature’s skin, drawing more crimson stripes against his dark green scales. One particularly ambitious bone nailed him squarely in the shoulder, and he staggered back a step, blasphemies and curses falling from his mouth in a constant stream. The magic faded, and Papyrus watched with satisfaction as a red patch blossomed where the attack had struck.

But it hadn’t been enough to perish him.

Pity.

Papyrus’ eyes darted to the side, checking on Sans. The demon had dropped him and he was now sitting in a heap at the base of the stone he had been pinned to. Sans was staring at him with a wide-eyed wonder that Papyrus didn’t think he had ever seen on his face before. His good arm had wrapped around to clutch at the bad one. He was breathing heavily and very obviously in pain, but seemed to be in no danger of perishing at the moment.

Some of the fury burning in Papyrus’ soul abated.

He turned his attention back to the larger demon, who was now scowling at the injury on his shoulder. He then looked up at Papyrus, muddy eyes blazing, radiating a calculated animosity that would have made any lesser creature cringe in terror.

Papyrus was fully aware of the differences in their strength… whatever had happened to this demon, he had become way more powerful than anything Papyrus had ever felt. His soul trembled at the malicious pressure that rolled off his opponent in waves. Despite that, every instinct he had was also telling him he absolutely could not back down in front of this creature.

It took every bit of control he had not to run to Sans’ side. Instead, he returned the demon’s stare evenly, watching silently, tensed and waiting for the next move.

“What the FUCK is wrong with you!?” the demon growled. “I was busy!”

“YOU WERE HURTING SANS.”

The demon snorted.

“And since when does an ANGEL care what happens to a demon?”

“SANS IS MY FRIEND. I WON’T LET YOU HURT HIM.”

The demon examined Papyrus carefully, his expression incredulous.

“You were certainly not what I was expecting. Usually angels owned by a demon are more… pliant.”

Papyrus blinked at the demon, puzzled.

“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I’M NOT OWNED. SANS AND I ARE SPECIAL FRIENDS.”

The demon’s eyebrows shot up almost comically. Then he stared for a long moment. When Papyrus’ serious expression didn’t change, he gave a loud bark of laughter.

“FUCK, I was RIGHT?” His shoulders shook with contained laughter as he shot a look at Sans, who was still slumped at the base of the boulder. His eye lights were hazy with pain, but he still watched them both intently. “You mean you actually made FRIENDS with an angel!? No wonder I was able to defeat you. You’re a fucking feather pet!”

That didn’t sound very nice. Papyrus frowned.

The tension in the demon’s shoulders relaxed slightly and he straightened, easing out of his defensive posture. He looked Papyrus over, appraising him before his grin widened.

Papyrus… didn’t like that look. He had seen that look before on the demon he had met shortly after he had been reborn.

“So, angel… Papyrus, was it? Since you like to make friends, why don’t we get to know each other as well?” he said, lowering his voice into a soothing purr, his eyes glinting. “You can never have too many friends, you know…”

Friends? Did he really mean that?

There was the sound of movement followed by a distressed growl. Papyrus looked to see Sans trying to rise to his feet. He was failing miserably, his injuries keeping him from doing much more than getting to his knees before they gave out again. Papyrus could see some of the cracks in his body widening, the marrow flowing more freely. Bright magic stained the white ivory of Sans’ bones.

“f-fuck… Pap… no…”

Papyrus’ soul clenched painfully at the sight. Yet again he had to resist the urge to run to Sans’ side. He shouldn’t be moving at all… he was only going to make himself worse!

“SANS, STAY PUT. DON’T MOVE!” Papyrus called. He could only hope the irascible demon would listen to him. “DO NOT WORRY! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS!”

The other demon shot a dark look in Sans’ direction

“Yes. Do as your angel friend says and stay put…” 

Suddenly, a number of vine-like magical constructs erupted from the earth around Sans, curling around his bones and immobilizing him. They weren’t gentle, and Sans gave a hoarse cry as they tightened around him, pinning his small frame to the stone behind him. Despite the fact that he was in obvious pain, he continued to struggle, growling and hurling obscenities at his captor that would have had Papyrus blushing under normal circumstances.

That’s right, this creature had hurt Sans.

“STOP THAT!” Papyrus demanded. 

The swirling magic around him shifted, straining in the direction of the demon as it aligned with its owner’s intent.

The demon raised his hands and gave his best attempt at a disarming smile.

It wasn’t very convincing.

“Hey… I was just making sure your ‘friend’… ” The demon’s tone dripped sarcasm over the word “…didn’t hurt himself any further. Now, why don’t you come closer and we can discuss how we can deepen our friendship.”

“I’D RATHER NOT.”

Papyrus’ soul screamed that this creature was dangerous, that he needed to exterminate it immediately. He resisted the urge to attack. Sans was hurt, he had to get to him first. “I WANT YOU TO LEAVE US ALONE. JUST GO AWAY AND DON’T COME BACK.” 

His magic crackled in eager agreement with his words.

The frown returned to the demon’s face, and Papyrus could see the dim flicker of fury barley concealed in his eyes.

“Before you interrupted our discussion, I was telling your friend here how much I wanted to meet you,” the demon tried again, flexing the claw at his side as he spoke. “He didn’t seem to think you would want to come here. I was… disappointed.”

“WELL I AM HERE NOW. AND NOW THAT YOU’VE MET ME YOU CAN GO,” Papyrus repeated. Beneath the anger in his soul bloomed a growing anxiety. He could see Sans continue to struggle with his bindings out of the corner of his eye, and was worried that he would end up hurting himself, or worse. “DON’T MAKE ME FORCE YOU TO LEAVE.”

The demon snorted, unconcerned about his threat.

“So rude. What kind of angel are you, treating a visitor like this?”

“I’M SORRY FOR BEING RUDE, BUT I DON’T LIKE YOU. YOU SEEM VERY… MURDERY.”

“Of course I do. I’m a fucking demon,” he snapped. Papyrus could see his annoyance was growing. Then the demon lowered his tone again. “But I certainly don’t want to murder YOU. Come here and let’s talk about this. Wouldn’t you rather do that than fight?”

Papyrus weighed his options. He shouldn’t trust this creature, he knew that, but the quicker this was resolved the quicker he could get to Sans and make sure he was alright.

“I WANT YOU TO LET GO OF SANS FIRST.”

“Why are you so concerned about him? He’s weak and pathetic, not worth your time. You should come with me. I can protect you as long as you do what you’re told.”

The bone constructs around Papyrus snapped angrily and his wings flared.

“HE IS NOT WEAK AND PATHETIC!” Papyrus’ resolve strengthened, the anger in his soul rising back to the surface. “I WILL NOT ABANDON HIM, AND THE GREAT PAPYRUS DOES NOT NEED PROTECTION!”

“Fine, have it your way then.”

Papyrus Just barely caught the flash of green light, at the edge of his sight. Sensing the danger, he shifted to one side and, with a powerful stroke of his wings, propelled himself back. Green tendrils of magic lunged, barely missing him, snapping uselessly against the stone where he had just been standing. 

The sudden loud hum of magic was the only warning Papyrus had of the next attack. Reaching out, Papyrus snatched one of his bone constructs from the air. His feet hit the floor and, turning, he swung the makeshift weapon, intercepting the incoming thorns of magic. There was a series of loud cracking pops as they shattered into sparks of green light. 

 

He released the remainder of his magic. The waiting constructs hurtled at the demon in arcs and waves of shining bone. Unfortunately, they did minimal damage. Whatever the demon couldn’t dodge he blocked with his magic. The few that hit merely added to the shallow cuts already littering his scales.

The demon swore violently, launching more thorn and vine attacks at Papyrus. The pattern of feints and strikes drove Papyrus back toward the cavern wall where he would no longer be able to avoid the onslaught. Papyrus dodged, blocking any unavoidable attacks with the bone construct in his hand. The occasional stray blow still got past him, grazing him in stinging slices that slowly began to seep and stain his battle body with marrow. Noticing the danger at the last moment, he narrowly avoided being cornered, scrambling to rise into the air as though he just remembered he had wings.

A sharp yank halted his upward movement. Papyrus fumbled, almost crashing back down to the hard ground below. He barely managed to keep aloft. Alarm flared in his soul as he looked down and saw that some of the demon’s magic had wrapped itself around his ankle. His wings beat furiously, each stroke pulling hard against the tendril that gripped him with painful strength.

“let go of him, you stupid fuck!!”

Papyrus felt more than saw the flare of Sans’ magic, catching only a bright flash out of the corner of his eye before he heard the demon’s answering grunt of pain. The vine holding him loosened. With a surge of his powerful wings, Papyrus pulled free and out of reach of the demon’s magic.

Once he had risen high enough, Papyrus turned and sent another rain of bone down on his enemy. Caught off guard, the demon threw one leathery wing up to protect himself from the unexpected assault, roaring in pain as the sensitive membranes tore wherever his magic could not guard him.

There was a lull, and Papyrus hovered, breathing heavily, feeling the unaccustomed drain on his magic. His gaze flicked between the two demons below him. Sans was staring back up at Papyrus, his eye lights narrowed into astonished pinpricks in his sockets.

“I’ll come up to get you, then!” the demon roared, drawing their attention back to him.

Enraged and unthinking, the demon spread his wings, giving a few ponderous flaps in an attempt to become airborne. He managed to get a few inches off the floor before the tears in the membranes ripped and widened. With an undignified yelp, the demon’s wings buckled and he dropped. His knees hit the rock floor with a hard thump and he fell forward before catching himself with one hand.

Papyrus never knew anyone could curse worse than Sans did.

Sans chuckled dryly.

“serves you right for touching what’s mine you scaly sonuvabitch,” he rasped at the demon, his sharp teeth turned up in a smirk despite the trickles of marrow running down his skull.

With an unintelligible bellow of rage, the demon flung his arm back, blindly sending a volley of thorns at the smaller demon. Sans’ feral grin never wavered as he faced the attack without flinching. Papyrus felt his soul stop. There was no way he would make it in time, and restrained as Sans was, there was no way for him to dodge!

“SANS!”

Sharp snaps of sound, accompanied by flashes of green light, lit the space around Sans as the thorns struck. They barely missed, peppering the stone just to the left of the smaller demon. Some missed by just enough to graze his ribs, inflicting a series of shallow cuts.

Papyrus breathed a sigh of relief. Driven by his anger, the demon had thrown his magic in haste, and it had skewed wildly to one side.

“missed me, asshole,” Sans taunted.

Papyrus sincerely wished Sans would shut up.

The demon straightened, glaring viciously at Sans. His eyes flicked up to Papyrus, who was still well out of reach, before returning to the smaller demon bound before him.

“I’m sick of you,” he spat “I was going to keep you alive so you could watch me take the angel, but I think perishing you would give me more satisfaction right now.”

The magical vines wrapped around Sans’ bones rustled as they pulled tighter, and Sans gave a hoarse cry. Papyrus thought he could hear Sans’ bones creak and grate under the pressure.

Panic gripped his soul. There was no way Sans’ body could tolerate much more abuse.

“STOP THAT!” he commanded “YOU’RE HURTING HIM!”

The demon laughed. He didn’t even look up, watching Sans writhe in pain with a satisfied grin on his face.

“What are you gonna do about it from up there, angel? The moment you come down, you’re mine. So why don’t you just stay put and let me have my fun?”

Papyrus’ mind raced. There had to be a way to stop the demon from hurting Sans. He could feel the ache in his body and could tell his magic was sorely drained. While he could probably unleash another barrage of bone attacks, they probably wouldn’t be enough to deter the creature for long.

Green magic flared, and a large glowing thorn formed over the demon’s right shoulder. It hummed in readiness, the deadly tip pointed straight at Sans.

“This should be plenty finish you,” the demon rumbled

NO.

Without thought, Papyrus tucked in his wings and dove, a falling streak of white bone and pale orange feathers. He hit the demon hard, knocking him off his feet and bowling him over. They rolled together over the stone floor, finally stopping with Papyrus on top. He reached for his magic, trying to form something he could use at close quarters. A bone construct materialized in his hand and he struck with the sharp end of it, burying the point in the demon’s meaty shoulder, digging it into the wound he had made earlier.

Papyrus hoped it would be enough.

A large hand closed over his wrist, and Papyrus felt the bones creak in the demon’s grip. The demon flashed him a sharp grin of victory that was twisted by the pain of his wound.

“Fuck, that hurt, but I got you now, little angel,” he grunted.

Oh dear. That had been a mistake.

“PAPYRUS!” Sans called from somewhere behind them.

Papyrus fought, trying to pull free, to escape the demon. Though his struggles were strengthened by the fear of being caught, the demon’s grasp was unrelenting. He beat his wings, trying to buffet the other monster and get him to let go. 

The demon grunted in annoyance, and then everything lurched, going topsy-turvy as he rolled. His thick and heavy weight pinned Papyrus, pressing painfully down on Papyrus’ ribs, making him gasp in pain. The back of his skull struck the rock floor, and a loud ringing filled his skull.

By the time he had regained his senses, his other wrist had been caught. With both hands bound above him, the demon loomed over him, a predatory grin on his face.

His soul froze in terror.

“LET ME GO!”

“Not after I went through hell to get you,” the demon growled, licking his teeth.

Something snaked between Papyrus’ radius and ulna and then wrapped around his wrists to replace the demon’s claws. He glanced up to see vines of green magic, just like the ones restraining Sans, now trapping his hands against the floor.

Papyrus renewed his struggles, his wings thumping against the floor as their muscles spasmed with his panic. The cold scrape of grit and stone abraded against his battle body as the demon’s weight continued to press down on him.

Hands free, the demon reached out, moving much faster than Papyrus thought possible. He grabbed the top edge of his left wing, squeezing hard.

“Now let’s see…” he said, wrenching the wing hard. The joint popped audibly, giving easily under the demon’s strength.

“AAAUUGH!” Papyrus wailed, his wing jerking with pain. The pain cut through him, sharp and hot, lancing through his wing and across his back. He bucked violently, trying desperately to get the demon off.

“Now that’s a nice sound…” The demon purred before pausing to watch Papyrus wear himself out. Finally Papyrus stilled, trembling, his ribs heaving with his efforts.

“get offa him you fucker! leave him alone!” Papyrus was still dimly aware of Sans’ voice, just audible through the buzz of pain that demanded his attention. He hadn’t known his wing could hurt so much.

The demon straightened and turned his head to the side, directing his attention to Sans behind him.

“Looks like you get to watch after all,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ll show you what to do with an angel.”

He looked back down at Papyrus, his mud-brown eyes hungry and intense. Blood dripped from the demon’s cut cheek, hitting Papyrus’ face with a soft plip. Fighting down the overwhelming fear, Papyrus glared defiantly at his captor.

“RELEASE ME AND SANS AT ONCE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL NOT BEND TO YOUR WILL.”

The demon laughed.

“Good. I want you to struggle.”

The demon shifted, bracing himself with one hand as he brought his knee between Papyrus’ legs. He leaned in, and the iron reek of blood and grime filled the space between them as he ran his tongue along Papyrus’ cheek, lapping up the blood that had dripped there.

Papyrus jerked at the unexpected contact.

Wait… what?

The demon’s tongue was warm, fleshy, and slimy against his bones. He didn’t like it.

“STOP THAT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” Papyrus yelped, pulling at the vines binding his wrists.

“What do you think, angel? I’m making you mine,” the demon rumbled next to Papyrus’ skull.

Head swimming with confusion and fear, Papyrus felt a sudden wave of unreality wash over him. What did he mean by that? What was going on?

The surge of alarm rejuvenated his strength and he renewed his efforts to get free, yanking at his bonds and trying to kick at the demon. The blows were ignored.

Papyrus felt a yank and heard a loud ripping noise as the demon’s sharp claws tore through his battle body. The clothing was decimated in seconds, falling in pieces around him. The cool, moist cavern air licked across his ribs, making him shiver. The chill only lasted a moment before he felt the heat of the demon’s body pressing closer. His mind tried to process what was happening, unable or maybe unwilling to put the pieces together. He only knew he didn’t like it. He didn’t want to be here, this felt wrong, and it was scaring him badly.

“NO! GET OFF!”

Rough hands pawed at his ribs, claws scratching roughly across the bones there as the demon ran his tongue in a hot line down Papyrus’ jaw. He moved downward, to the bones of his neck, where he lapped over and between the vertebrae there.

This was like when Sans…

Papyrus felt something like ice grip his soul.

NO!

HE DIDN’T WANT THAT.

“NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? STOP IT!” Papyrus yelled, his voice rising in pitch as fear turned to terror.

He could feel the low rumble of the demon’s laughter deep in his chest.

“You taste really good, angel. Gonna fuck you good. But first, I want to have a bite.”

With a crunch he closed his teeth hard on Papyrus’ clavicle. Papyrus shrieked as new pain blossomed there, the demon’s teeth easily piercing the bone and drawing marrow. Papyrus thrashed violently against him, trying in vain to get away.

“PAPYRUS! goddamn it, you fucking asshole! i’m gonna kill you for that! PAPYRUS!” Papyrus could hear the sound of claws scrabbling against stone as Sans continued to rage just out of sight.

“SANS, HELP!” Papyrus called back, the pain making him forget that Sans was also restrained and powerless.

It was all he could think to do. His energy was drained, he hurt everywhere, and with a sick feeling he realized that despite it all his magic was still reacting to the demon’s touch. It coursed through his bones in a low buzz of unwanted pleasure that brought tears of shame to his eyes.

“Yes. Call for your feather pet. Show him how helpless he is,” the demon said

The last of Papyrus’ energy gave out and he went limp, quivering so hard his bones rattled. He gasped as the demon’s claws wrapped around his spine, pulling harshly at the delicate bone column. It sent mixed sensations of pain and pleasure coursing through his body. He squirmed weakly, trying to pull away from the touch, to no avail.

“NO… PLEASE…”

“Been a while since I had a skeleton type…” the demon mused, withdrawing to look Papyrus up and down “Let’s see if I can get you to make something I can fuck.”

The demon’s claws made quick work of Papyrus’ pants, decimating the sparse fabric and fully exposing his pelvis. Wrapping rough fingers around his pubis, the demon rubbed at the bone harshly. Papyrus jerked, a jarring surge of awful pleasure wracking his body. His magic raced, flowing into the space around his pelvis and flowing around the demon’s fingers as he worked at the sensitive bone.

“See. You do want it,” he growled in dark satisfaction “You look really good like this, angel.”

Papyrus choked back a moan, his soul churning with a sickening mixture of fear, dread, and arousal. He fought against the tide of his magic, refusing to let it coalesce, even as his body began to ache with a treacherous need.

“YOU’RE WRONG… NO…” he gasped.

The demon’s smirk turned downward as he realized that Papyrus’ magic wasn’t forming.

“Still fighting me…” he snarled. “Stupid angel, there are ways to make you cooperate.”

Papyrus whimpered, grateful for the reprieve as the demon’s hand withdrew, the pulsing ache in his pelvis dimming to something more distant. His relief was short-lived, though, as he realized the demon was eyeing the glow of his soul, fluttering weakly beneath his sternum.

His eyes widened as the demon slowly reached up, snaking his hand under Papyrus’ ribs.

NO… he shouldn’t touch that… that was his soul…

Papyrus fought hard, writhing with another sudden burst of vigor, finding some unknown reserve of terror to fuel him. He could feel the heavy malevolence of the demon’s intent as his hand drew near his soul. Panic completely overtook him, coherent thought vanishing, desperate tears streaming down his face as he cried out.

“NO. STOP IT! PLEASE DON’T! SANS! NOOOO! SANS!!!”

He didn’t want to do this with anyone else. He only wanted Sans. He had to get away!

But he couldn’t.

What Sans said next made everything stop.

“Papyrus! stop fighting him!”

What? Papyrus’ soul turned to ice.

The demon paused, his hand nearly grazing against the edges of Papyrus’ soul. He withdrew slightly, looking back over his shoulder with a smirk.

“What was that?” he asked

Sans’ voice cut across the sudden silence.

“Pap. quit fighting. don’t move.” Papyrus heard Sans rasp.

“You finally up for a show? Or maybe you think I’ll spare you if you make the angel cooperate?” 

The demon chuckled.

Papyrus’ thoughts were in a chaotic whirl. What did Sans mean by that? Why would Sans tell him not to fight?

Undyne’s words rung in his head.

_“He’s no different…”_

Was Sans betraying him?

The thought that Sans might be giving him up to the demon nearly broke him. His soul shuddered with a pain deeper than he ever thought was possible.

_“Do not forget that he cannot deny what he is. In one way or another, he will hurt you.”_

Asriel’s words…

Sans wouldn’t do that.

Would he?

Papyrus made his decision.

He stopped fighting. Despite the desperation and fear screaming through his bones, he stilled himself, even going so far as to force his soul to stop fluttering in his ribs.

The demon felt Papyrus go limp and looked back at him in surprise.

“You’re going to LISTEN to him?” he said in disbelief.

Papyrus only stared back, wide-eyed and frightened out of his wits.

But he didn’t move. 

Through the confusion and the pain and the fear he could only find one thing to hold on to. 

He had promised to trust Sans. He believed in Sans. 

But stars, he was so afraid. 

“Well that’ll make things easier then.” the demon rumbled, licking his lips as he leaned back over Papyrus.

Papyrus’ fingertips dug into the bone of his palms as he felt the suffocating heat of the demon as he drew closer. The ghost of a whimper escaped from between his teeth as the demon’s hand once more reached up into his ribs to capture his soul.

Oh stars, no… Please no…

The earth beneath him erupted in bone constructs. They struck upwards with deadly accuracy in an amazing pattern of blue and white, the blue bones passing through Papyrus’ motionless body without damage to pierce the demon’s fleshy body above him along with their white counterparts. The demon made a choked sound of surprise, his eyes gone wide and disbelieving. He wheezed, his mouth gaping and closing, trying to jerk and pull away from the pain, only to injure himself further on the blue bone constructs. 

Papyrus remained frozen, as much from the horror of watching the demon's dying struggles as from his trust in Sans' words. He could feel the buzz of Sans' magic where it passed through him, a further reminder not to move, barely containing Papyrus' panic-driven need to escape. 

"Fffugk... Yy...“

With a final wet groan, the demon finally went limp and the magic binding Papyrus' wrists disappeared, releasing him.

It didn't feel like much of a victory. 

The bone constructs shattered, and the full weight of the demon's body, now devoid of life, slumped down onto Papyrus. Papyrus squirmed and wriggled under the overwhelming weight, and quickly realized there was no way he would be able to pull free. They had barely made it only for Papyrus to be crushed forever under what was left of their enemy. 

But then, miraculously it seemed, the demon’s body began to grow lighter. Papyrus watched, shocked, as it began to fade, the demon's form breaking up into what Papyrus could only call sparks or fragments of darkness. They were like ash, glimmering black specks that floated upwards and dissipated away. Realizing he was no longer pinned, Papyrus yanked himself free. Still fueled by his panic, he scrambled backwards, his bare tailbone abrading against the gritty stone as he scooted away from the disappearing body of the demon.

THIS was what it meant to perish.

It wasn't long before the last flecks of darkness disappeared in the dim light of the cavern. 

The demon was gone.

Papyrus curled in on himself, pulling his knees up to his chest and hugging them. Shuddering, he buried his head in his arms. He tried to wrap his wings around himself, but the injured wing drooped sadly and refused to move. The swollen, throbbing pain of his wing and the stinging burn at his clavicle harmonized together, two sharp notes in the symphony of aches that sang through his entire body. He hurt, he was exhausted, his magic was sapped, and his soul still thrummed with the aftereffects of fear and panic.

The demon had tried to...

He had almost...

Papyrus' mind froze at the thought, refusing to move further, to fully acknowledge what had almost happened to him... what HAD happened to him. Refusing to put coherent thought to it, he instead became caught in the physical sensations, the memory of the demon's tongue running across his bones, the hands that had forced his magic to react. Through the tears in his eyes he could still see the faint orange glow of the magic at his pelvis, and the sick feeling began to curl again within his soul. He gave a small sob, still shaking hard enough for his bones to fill the heavy silence around him with a soft rattle.

If Sans hadn't...

If Sans...

With a gasp, Papyrus jerked himself upright, his mind more than grateful to have something else to occupy its time.

SANS!

He looked across the room. Sans still sat at the foot of the large rock, but now his body was crumpled forward, no longer restrained by the tendrils that had been wrapped around it.

He wasn't moving.

Papyrus lurched upward and forward, propelled by sudden fear and the still-present vision of the demon disappearing in front of him as he had perished. 

NO.

Not Sans!

Papyrus stumbled across the stone floor, his footsteps dragging as he struggled to make his way to his severely injured friend. He winced as his wing was jostled, sending fresh stabs of pain lancing through it. His body resisted all movement with an aching, stiff stubbornness every inch of the way.

When he reached Sans he allowed his legs to give out under him, falling to his knees next to the injured demon. He gingerly pulled Sans against him, curling his good wing behind the small demon's limp body to help support it. Sans felt so light in Papyrus' arms, as though he weighed barely anything at all. Worry gnawing at his soul, he checked Sans over to discover the extent of his injuries.

He didn't like what he saw.

Multiple chips, cracks, and breaks littered Sans’ ribs. The worst breaks were nasty looking, jagged, uneven, and slowly dripping marrow onto the floor below. One of his floating ribs was barely hanging on by a few thick splinters of bone. His left shoulder was dislocated, barely held together by the magic at his joint. His right wing was a fractured, misshappen mess. There was another spiderweb of cracks on the back of his head from some blow, also leaking marrow, and the tip of one horn was gone. 

“SANS? SANS, PLEASE WAKE UP. ANSWER ME!” Papyrus called to him, trying to keep his voice even. He had to sound strong for Sans, to show him that everything was alright, that it was safe to wake up now.

He ran one hand along Sans’ cheek, even giving it a few soft pats, trying to prompt Sans to open his eyes. Sans didn’t feel right. Bone that used to be warm, full life and brimming with magic, was now strangely cold, emptied of color and chalky against his fingers. Sans’ body felt like a loose jumble, as though the very magic holding his bones together could give out at any moment.

Papyrus saw with a growing sense of dread that Sans’ soul was terribly dim, with only the occasional, weak flicker to show there was still any life there.

Had Sans used up all of his magic in that last attack to save him?

Was this his fault?

Frustration and helplessness gripped him. What should he do next? Would Sans just get better on his own? Somehow, he didn’t think so. He had never dealt with injuries this bad before. 

What would happen to him if he lost Sans?

That thought alone overwhelmed him with a sense of despair and loss so profound that he could not move. He became lightheaded and dizzy, his thoughts descending once more into a panicked, confused mess that prevented him from acting.

The sound of a soft step, followed by the skittering of a stone across the floor made Papyrus jump.

Someone was here. 

Did the demon have friends? Were they going to be attacked again?

Despite his weakened state, his magic flared in response to his fear, a sharpened bone construct forming in his hand. He pulled Sans closer to him with one arm, brandishing his weapon, his eyes churning with orange magic.

He would NOT let anyone else hurt Sans.

“I KNOW YOU’RE THERE. COME OUT!” he called, his voice filled with a confidence he certainly didn’t feel.

A figure stepped out into the open, emerging from the same entrance Sans and Papyrus had come through. Large, beautiful, pale emerald wings spread wide with bravado. There was a flash of flaming hair, blue skin, and sharp teeth. A single yellow-gold eye gazed at them, resting for a moment on Papyrus before sliding over to glare coldly at the demon cradled in his arm.

It was Undyne, and one of her blazing turquoise spears was ready in her hand, pointing straight at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Undertailsoulsex and I came up with a name for the demon.
> 
> We dub thee with love and honor: 
> 
> Lizzy Lickbottom. <3
> 
> R.I.P. Lizzy, no longer shall you plague my writing with your indiscernible character traits. 8'D


	18. Succor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Undyne has Stumbled upon the gravely injured Sans and Papyrus. What now?

They stared at each other for a long time.

Neither lowered their weapon. 

After a few long moments, Undyne’s gaze left Papyrus, scanning the room and scrutinizing their surroundings closely. She paused where the rock was scorched with magic and scored with claw marks, and then again where the floor was scuffed and littered with pale orange feathers. Blood and marrow stained the ground in dribbles and splotches. Papyrus wondered how much Undyne could piece together from what she was seeing and felt his face flush with shame.

What would she decide to do with them?

He was so exhausted… Not to mention he hurt all over and his wing was screaming at him for attention. His chest tightened as he realized he didn’t have it in him to fight anyone else.

Only the weight of Sans pulled close to him kept him focused. He was so light… So fragile… So hurt… And he couldn’t defend himself right now.

It might kill him, but Papyrus was resolved to fight if he had to. He would fight to protect Sans.

His raised arm, the one brandishing the sharpened bone construct, was slightly trembling from the exhaustion. He hoped Undyne didn’t notice.

Having finished her examination of the room, Undyne turned her attention back to Sans and Papyrus. Her eye flashed with authority.

“Where is the demon?” she demanded.

The question made Papyrus’ mind whirl in confusion. His eyes flicked to Sans, and then back up to Undyne, a puzzled expression on his face.

“No, not him…” Undyne huffed angrily before thinking better of it and moderating her voice. “I mean the other demon. He was just here! I could feel him! Where is he?”

Papyrus felt his mind clear a bit. Right. The other demon. He shuddered at the memory before shaking his head.

“HE’S… GONE… PERISHED,” Papyrus managed to explain.

Undyne’s eyebrows shot up, the tip of her spear dipping a fraction. 

“Perished!? You mean you…?” She trailed off, the astonishment clear on her face.

“YES… I… WE PERISHED IT,” Papyrus said.

Undyne whistled, and she looked Papyrus up and down, clearly impressed. She lowered her spear the rest of the way, though she didn’t dismiss it.

Papyrus didn’t lower his weapon. His soul still buzzed with fear and apprehension, and he didn’t trust Undyne’s intentions toward Sans.

“Sure did beat you two to hell and back, though, by the looks of it,” Undyne said, cutting straight to the point. She glanced down at the bone construct in Papyrus’ hand before giving him a wry look. “Do you really think that’s necessary?”

Papyrus nodded at the spear in Undyne’s hand.

“I WON’T LET YOU HURT SANS,” he stated simply.

“You’re still attached to that demon?” The exasperation and disgust in Undyne’s voice was clear. She raised her spear again to point it at them. “Are you telling me that even though you’re all busted up you’re STILL gonna fight me? I’d have your ass kicked from here to Hotland and back before you could blink!”

“I DON’T WANT TO FIGHT YOU, BUT I WON’T LET YOU HARM HIM.”

Their eyes locked. Undyne glared at Papyrus, who returned her look, resigned and exhausted. The trembling in his arm was more prominent now. There was no way Undyne didn’t see the tip of the bone construct quivering in his hand, but he didn’t flinch or look away.

“Fuck.”

With a sudden, sharp gesture of frustration, Undyne banished the spear in her hand. She put her hands on her hips and frowned at Papyrus.

“There! Now will you put that stupid thing down? I promise not to hurt anyone.” 

With some of the tension gone, Papyrus dropped his weapon. It immediately shattered into glittering sparks of magic. A wave of dizziness washed over him and he slumped against the rock to his back. The world around him went hazy and dimmed dangerously close to black. No. He couldn’t pass out now. They still weren’t safe. He had to…

“—yrus? Are you— Papy— Hey…” 

Someone was yelling at him. Papyrus focused as hard as he could, his eyes locked on his kneecaps as he fought not to lose consciousness. He concentrated on Sans’ slight weight and he tried to use that to ground himself. He had to stay alert, for Sans’ sake.

It was a fight he was losing. Light, sound and sensation surged and faded in a sickening cycle that threatened to overwhelm him and drag him into blessed oblivion. Stars above, he was so tired and everything hurt so badly. He just wanted to rest. 

A firm hand on his shoulder snapped him back to reality. Papyrus gave a loud, frightened cry and jerked away, instinctively reaching for his magic. The movement jarred his injured wing and aching bones, wracking his body with pain that had him seeing bright lights at the edges of his vision.

“HEY! Hey, it’s okay! It’s just me. Look… See?” a familiar voice spoke, cutting through the panic.

Papyrus’ sight cleared. Undyne knelt before him. She had removed her hand from his shoulder and was holding both of them up in a placating gesture. Her normally stern face was creased with concern as she tried her best to calm him.

“UNDYNE…” Papyrus muttered the name as though trying to remind himself of who she was.

“Yes, Undyne. I told you I wouldn’t do anything, you nerd. You’re hurt. Will you quit being a huge dingus and let me take a look at you, already?”

Something in Undyne’s gruff tone made Papyrus’ teeth twitch upward in something like a smile, but then another twinge of pain turned it into a grimace. He gave her another wary look before giving a small nod.

Leaning back in, Undyne checked Papyrus over to discover the extent of the injuries. Her hands were uncommonly gentle as she examined him, taking note of each scrape, crack and gash in his bones. With a weak flush, Papyrus was reminded of the fact that he was very nearly naked, his clothes still shredded from the fight earlier. He spared a brief moment to be thankful that the magic at his pelvis had dissipated. All that remained was a deep ache to remind him of what had happened.

Shame squeezed his soul as images of what had happened resurfaced with horrifying clarity. He began to shake again, his bones giving off a faint rattle.

“So, what the hell happened?” Undyne asked suddenly.

Papyrus blinked at her, momentarily pulled out of the mire of his own thoughts.

“I… SENSED SANS AND THE OTHER ONE. SANS WAS MOVING TOWARD HIM AND IT FELT… WRONG SOMEHOW. I DIDN’T LIKE IT, SO I WENT AFTER HIM.”

“Uh-huh… Couldn’t you tell he was stronger than you?”

“I COULDN’T LEAVE SANS. WHEN I GOT HERE I COULD TELL THEY HAD BEEN FIGHTING. SANS WAS HURT, THE DEMON WAS GOING TO… TO…”

Undyne paused her examination, giving Papyrus a bit of space and time to collect his thoughts. Her brows had furrowed as she had listened to Papyrus’ recounting of what had happened.

“CAN YOU… LOOK AT SANS TOO?”

For a moment Undyne looked as though she was going to protest, but she hesitated when she saw Papyrus’ face. 

“Fine,” she huffed with exasperation. “Lay him down so I can get a look at him.”

Papyrus complied, shifting Sans gently so that he was laid out with his head in Papyrus’ lap. As she examined the demon, he continued to speak.

“I ATTACKED THE DEMON TO GET HIM AWAY FROM SANS. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WAS BEATING HIM… THAT I COULD MAKE HIM LEAVE. THEN HE CAUGHT ME, AND THEN HE… HE TRIED TO…” His voice trailed off and he shivered. Though he wrapped his arms around himself to try and stop, it didn’t work. The world grew distant as he sank deeper into the morass of emotion still churning in his soul.

Undyne placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. Papyrus thought he could hear her grinding her teeth next to him as she growled low in her throat.

“Thats enough. You don’t have to keep going… Fucking demons.” She spat, her face stormy with anger.

“SANS SAVED ME. IT WAS HIS ATTACK THAT KILLED IT.” Papyrus’ voice cracked.

“Alright, alright. I won’t say anything else about your pet demon, jeez. Let’s see if I can heal you up some. I’m horrible at this shit but you need it.”

“WHAT ABOUT SANS?”

Undyne’s expression turned grim, and her eyes shifted to the the demon, whose head was still laying unnaturally still in Papyrus’ lap, before looking away again. His chest grew tight

Ignoring Papyrus’ question, Undyne gathered her magic. A faint, green glow accumulated under her hand at his shoulder, and a pleasant warmth spread from her touch.

He reached up and grabbed Undyne’s wrist and pulled it away, stopping her.

“What the hell, Papyrus?” Undyne said, voice sharp with irritation.

“WHAT ABOUT SANS?” Papyrus asked again. 

Undyne sighed, and her scowl deepened. 

“Pap… He’s beyond saving. He’s so far gone at this point that I don’t even know how the little bastard is still alive. He should have perished by now.”

Papyrus felt like his soul would shatter. No. There was no way Sans was going to perish. He wouldn’t let that happen.

His grip tightened on her wrist.

“HEAL HIM FIRST THEN,” he demanded.

“I can’t.”

“YOU CAN HEAL. YOU SAID YOU COULD. I WON’T LET YOU HEAL ME UNLESS YOU HEAL SANS FIRST,” Papyrus insisted, his voice rising with his desperation.

“Papyrus. Don’t be stupid. You’re not as hurt as him but you need help immediately.”

Undyne tugged at Papyrus’ grip, but couldn’t pull free.

“NO. HEAL SANS FIRST.”

“I told you Papyrus I CAN’T!” Undyne shouted, startling Papyrus into silence. He let go of Undyne’s wrist and stared at her, crushed. A range of expressions crossed Undyne’s face… irritation, exasperation, helplessness… before she growled in frustration, running her hand over her face. “Papyrus. I’m a shit healer to begin with. I won’t even be able to do more than take the edge off of your injuries. But HIM… I CAN’T heal him. Healing doesn’t work unless you want it to, and even though I’m your friend… I just CAN’T.”

Tears pricked at Papyrus’ eyes. His soul felt hollow as he ran a hand over Sans’ skull in his lap. The bone under his fingers was so cold. He couldn’t imagine losing Sans. Sans had always been there. Even when he hadn’t known Papyrus was there he had been there from the beginning. The rising despair within him reignited his fear and panic and prompted him to try to get up.

“Wait, what the hell are you doing!?” Undyne asked, pushing him back down with one hand. “You shouldn’t be moving yet.”

“IF YOU CAN’T HELP HIM THEN I’LL FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN.” Papyrus shifted Sans in an attempt to pull him into his arms.

“And who the hell will that be?” Undyne snapped, still restraining him. “He’s a DEMON, Papyrus. No angel with any sense is gonna heal him, even if they could. You’re better off giving up on him. He’s a goner.”

Anger flared in Papyrus’ soul. How could Undyne speak so coldly about Sans perishing like that? Hot tears began to flow down his face. He glared defiantly at Undyne and she flinched, looking guilty.

“I WILL NOT GIVE UP ON HIM. NOW PLEASE LET ME GO SO I CAN FIND HIM SOME HELP.” 

Undyne stared at Papyrus for a few long moments before heaving a tired sigh and shaking her head.

“Fine. I can’t heal him, but maybe YOU can. You won’t be able to if you’re beat all to hell like this, though. So will you sit still already so I can try to take care of this?” 

Papyrus felt a small spark of hope. He could heal Sans? Leaning back, he allowed Undyne to continue, returning his focus to the demon in his lap.

Moving closer, Undyne placed one hand on Papyrus’ shoulder and the other on his sternum just above his soul. Papyrus flinched away a bit when her hand touched his ribs. She paused for a second, giving him an uncertain look. The last thing Papyrus wanted right now was to have anyone near his soul, and he could feel himself beginning to tremble again with anxiety, but he nodded at her, letting her know to continue.

Undyne’s face screwed up in concentration as she gathered her magic. Papyrus could see the green glow emanating from her hands and a soothing heat radiated outward. It flowed through him, dipping gently into the stinging cracks of his injuries and easing his aching joints. Some of the pain and discomfort melted away, and Papyrus breathed a sigh of relief. 

It wasn’t long before sweat stood out on Undyne’s forehead, the strain showing on her features as she tried to stretch the healing out as far as she could. With a few final flickers, it finally sputtered and went out completely, leaving her panting with exertion.

Papyrus looked at her with concern.

“ARE YOU OKAY?”

“Yeah… Told you I was a shitty healer.” Undyne chuckled, flashing him a tired grin “How are you feeling?”

“BETTER,” Papyrus admitted. There were still plenty of aches to be had, and his wing continued to throb angrily at him, but the worst of the pain and exhaustion had abated. At least he no longer felt like he was on the edge of passing out. “YOU SAID I COULD HEAL SANS?” 

“Hold your horses, nerd.” Undyne grimaced at him. “We still gotta take care of that wing.”

Moving her hands to Papyrus’ wing, she felt along the top edge, searching for any breaks. Papyrus held his breath, enduring the small jolts and jostles as she checked it over. When her hand closed over the top joint Papyrus hissed and pulled away as pain lanced through the limb.

“Shit… pulled it right out of the socket…” Undyne winced in sympathy. “This is gonna hurt like hell, Papyrus, but I need you to stay still for a sec. Also, don’t look.”

“WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?” Papyrus asked, turning his face away.

“Gotta get the joint back where it’s supposed to be. Don’t worry, I’ll count to three,” Undyne assured him. Papyrus nodded back. “Ready? One…”

Suddenly Papyrus felt Undyne wrench at his wing, HARD. Agony burst in the limb, making his vision white out. When he could see again, he realized that his throat was raw. He supposed he must have screamed, though he really couldn’t recall through those few extreme moments of pain. His hands were balled up in fists, the tips of his phalanges digging painfully into the palms, and he was breathing heavily.

“YOU SAID ON THE COUNT OF THREE!” he choked out, his voice rasping.

“Uh, yeah… sorry ‘bout that.” Undyne said sheepishly. “It’s a bit of a mean trick, but you woulda tensed if I’d gotten to three. I needed you to be relaxed to get the joint back in. I wouldn’t recommend moving it, though.”

Placing her hands over the swollen joint, Undyne managed a few more faint sputters of healing magic to soothe the pain down from a dull roar until it was only a deeply uncomfortable throb. 

“Holding up ok?”

“YES, I THINK SO. CAN WE TAKE CARE OF SANS NOW PLEASE?”

“Can’t say you don’t have a one track mind,” Undyne said wryly. “Ok then. All that any magic takes is intent. Just put your hands on him, gather your magic there and concentrate on how much you want to make him better.”

Well that seemed simple enough.

Leaving his one hand where it had been stroking at Sans’ skull, Papyrus mimicked Undyne by placing his other hand over Sans’ ribs, just above where his soul should be. The fabric of Sans t-shirt was stiff and gritty with grime, and Papyrus made a mental note that he would have to wash the thing later. 

Concentrating was harder than he expected. His remaining aches and pains were distracting, constantly pulling his attention away from the task at hand. However, he screwed his face up in determination and forced himself to focus on Sans, on how badly he wanted him to be okay, on how much he cared and needed the demon to stay with him.

Warmth gathered under his hands. It felt very similar to what had come from Undyne’s healing; only in this case instead of flowing into him, he could feel his magic flowing out of him and into Sans.

Undyne whistled next to him. 

“Holy shit, Papyrus, you’re a natural.”

Papyrus could barely hear her. He continued to focus on funneling his magic into healing Sans’ injuries and pulling him back from the brink.

It wasn’t enough. Sans was slipping away from him even as Papyrus poured more of his magic into him. Desperation and fear spurred Papyrus on and he redoubled his efforts, making one final lunge with his magic to pull Sans back to him. 

It worked. Suddenly he could sense that Sans was there, that he would be okay. Papyrus’ soul overflowed with joy, and, despite the warning flicker of his own weakening magic, began pushing more energy…

“STOP!” Undyne yanked him back, pulling his hands off of the demon and breaking the connection. “That’s plenty! Don’t KILL yourself trying to heal him, for stars sake!!”

Papyrus blinked at Undyne, his vision blurring and losing focus. The exhaustion and light-headedness had returned, though it was nowhere near as bad as before. He realized that he wasn’t supporting himself, that most of his weight had fallen back onto Undyne, who was propping him up with a look of intense concern on her face.

“IS SANS OKAY?” he managed.

“Is Sans… holy blessed stars above do you ever think about anything else?” Undyne grumbled “Look for yourself you big dork!”

Papyrus looked. Sans was still unconscious, and at first glance it seemed as though nothing had changed. The majority of his wounds were still there, his wing was still broken and many of his larger cuts were still seeping with marrow. But his bones no longer looked ashen and chalky, and when Papyrus placed a hand on the skull in his lap he could feel a reassuring heat that hadn’t been there before.

The corners of Papyrus’ mouth turned up in a hopeful smile.

“THAT’S GOOD.” It all he could think of to say. He wanted to say so much more, but his soul was filled to the point where it felt like it might burst with joy and relief. Tears overflowed again, running down his cheekbones as the weight of fear lifted from him.

“Well, neither of you are gonna be at 100% for a while, but at least you both seem to be out of the woods. Now will you finish telling me what the hell happened here?”

Haltingly, Papyrus once more related what had happened, starting again from the beginning. He spoke about how he had noticed the demon’s presence, and Sans moving toward him. He told Undyne how Sans had been in trouble when he had arrived, and the fight afterward.

“I SAW WHAT HE HAD DONE TO SANS AND I JUST FELT SO… ANGRY…” Papyrus murmured, the hand not resting on Sans’ skull balled into a fist.

“Yeah, I was pretty surprised when you told me you two kicked his ass.” Undyne said with a dry chuckle. “Usually it takes a few angels at least to take down a demon who’s consumed a human soul.”

“CONSUMED A… WHAT?” Papyrus gave Undyne a puzzled look.

“A human soul. Humans live on the surface, and they’re completely different from monsters. When they die their souls persist. If a human dies as a result of a demon’s influence or actions, a demon can consume that soul and become stronger.”

“OH. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE HUMAN SOUL AFTER THAT?”

Undyne’s eye narrowed and her expression turned cold.

“They’re completely destroyed and absorbed. They cease to exist.”

Papyrus was horrified. A creature’s soul was the culmination of everything they were. He couldn’t imagine completely obliterating another sentient being like that. It offended something deep within him in a way he couldn’t describe.

“THAT’S HORRIBLE,” he said, sobered by the new information.

“It’s what demons do, Pap. If you think that thing in your lap wouldn’t jump at the chance, you’re kidding yourself,” Undyne said, gesturing at Sans.

Papyrus looked down at Sans, his brow creased with concern. His first instinct was to immediately jump to the defense to say ‘Sans wouldn’t do that!’.

But could he really say that?

Papyrus felt a small pang in his soul when he realized that he honestly couldn’t. He was confident that Sans would never deliberately hurt him… but he also knew deep down that the exception didn’t extend to anyone else. 

In the end, Sans WAS a demon, after all.

“I’LL… JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN.” Papyrus’ voice was full of conviction.

“You’re not responsible for him, Papyrus.” Undyne said, frowning.

“WHAT’S THE SURFACE?” 

Undyne’s frown deepened at the sudden change of subject, and it seemed for a moment that she would try to press her point. Then she looked at Papyrus’ face and let it go, answering his question.

“I’m not entirely sure. Asriel says its another place outside the Underground. Much larger… and much more dangerous.” Undyne’s eyes roved over the scuffs and feathers littering the floor. “And I think I’m starting to believe him. I see now why he’s cautious about letting the others know where the exit is before he thinks they’re ready.”

“WHY DO THE OTHERS WANT TO GO IF IT’S DANGEROUS?”

Undyne shrugged.

“Boredom. Curiosity. Wanderlust. You gotta admit, Pap, this place is pretty small. Hard not to go stir crazy down here.”

Undyne’s gaze grew distant. 

“YOU WANT TO GO?”

“Hm? Oh, Nah!” Undyne laughed raucously and slapped Papyrus on the shoulder. Papyrus yelped, and she immediately turned apologetic. “Oh shit… I’m sorry, Pap. Don’t know my own strength sometimes.” 

“IT’S… FINE…” Papyrus grunted, tears in his eyes.

“Anyways, no. I’m not goin’ anywhere.” A fond look crossed Undyne’s face “Asriel needs my help to keep the others in line. I can’t leave the big fuzzy pushover to handle EVERYTHING by himself.”

Papyrus glanced sideways at Undyne, wondering about the meaning behind the tone of her voice. Was she special friends with Asriel? Or was it something else?

He decided it would be rude to ask.

“WHEN WILL I BE ABLE TO HEAL SANS MORE?”

“Not until after you’ve rested. As a matter of fact…” Undyne leveled a hard, stern look at Papyrus “You’re not allowed to do any healing unless I’m present, you got me?”

“BUT SANS…” 

“Is no longer in danger and can heal perfectly fine the natural way.” Undyne snapped, her voice sharp. “You BOTH got the shit kicked out of you, remember? I have a feeling you’re both gonna be doing plenty of the slow kind of healing. I want you to PROMISE me, Papyrus, no healing unless I’m there.”

“OK, UNDYNE. I PROMISE,” Papyrus said reluctantly.

“Good.” Undyne relaxed a bit. “I would hate to find out you went and perished yourself by overdoing it, especially since I taught you how to do this shit.”

There was a brief silence between them. Papyrus continued to run his hand along the warm, smooth bone of Sans’ skull, fingers playing lightly over the curved horns, lingering where the tip of the right one had been snapped off. He could hear the familiar sounds of running water nearby and the ‘plink, plink’ of moisture dripping into the pond nearby seemed to count the seconds as they passed. 

“I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GO HOME NOW,” he finally said.

“Do you think you’re up to moving?” Undyne asked, eyeing him critically.

“NYEH HEH HEH. NOTHING THE GREAT PAPYRUS CAN’T HANDLE,” he said with a faint smile.

Undyne laughed. The sound filled the cave and washed away the dark emotions that lingered in Papyrus’ soul. Once she was done, she flashed Papyrus a sharp grin.

“Of course it isn’t. Well, I can’t leave you two to yourselves now, can I? Here, let me help you get him back home, alright?”

Papyrus gratefully accepted.


	19. Recuperation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Undyne brings the boys home to heal up after their ordeal.
> 
> (yup, still alive. yup, still going with this fic. you can all beat me with pointy sticks later) (o.o;)

"You live here?!"

Papyrus glanced sideways, giving Undyne a quizzical look as she extended one hand to help him step up out of the shallow water and into their cave. Her other hand was keeping Sans steady where she was still carrying him on her back.

"THIS IS WHERE WE STAY WHEN I'M NOT HELPING THE MORTALS. WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT?"

Water dripped from the tips of his wings, pattering against the stone floor. Ugh. The ends had trailed through the pool as they had crossed, the moisture making them heavy and uncomfortable. He tried to shake them off and winced as they reminded him they had seen quite enough action today, thank you very much.

"It's a dump, that's what's wrong with it," Undyne grumbled, hitching Sans up none too gently, readjusting him before he could slide down too far. Sans groaned but didn't wake.

"WHERE ELSE WOULD WE GO?" Papyrus cocked his head, curious.

"Well, what about an abandoned house?" Undyne proposed. "As long as there are no mortals in it you can use it all you want. It's bound to be more comfortable than… well, this."

"I HONESTLY HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT."

"Figures," Undyne muttered to herself, rolling her eye. She squinted around at the small space. "Where do you want me to put the little gremlin? He might be short but he sure as hell isn't light."

Papyrus motioned toward a ledge at the far end of the small cave.

"HE LIKES TO NAP THERE."

Grumbling the entire way, Undyne carried Sans over to where Papyrus had indicated. Despite her complaints, Papyrus noticed that she took care to set the demon down gently, and laid him on his front so he wouldn’t put any unnecessary weight on his shattered wings.

"Good to get that burden off my back," she said, turning away and stretching her own wings.

Papyrus hovered over Sans' prone form, examining him anxiously. Reaching out, he cautiously brushed his fingertips across the broken bones in Sans wings, then jerked away violently when they twitched.

Did that hurt? Was Sans in pain? 

"HE NEEDS MORE HEALING..." Papyrus finally decided, reaching toward Sans again, only to be stopped by Undyne's swat against the back of his head. "YOWTCH! HEY, WHAT IN THE--"

"Hell no," Undyne's snapped, giving him a warning glare. "You're in no condition to do that, you dork. He's not in danger anymore, and both of you will have to do a lot of your healing the old-fashioned way. Count your blessings that it’ll still be faster than what any mortal would have to deal with. Especially as your strength builds."

"BUT HIS WINGS..."

"Yeah, we'll have to fix those, especially the right one. Even if they're too scrawny for him to fly if they heal wrong it won't be good.”

“IT WON’T?”

“Even angels and demons can scar if the intent to hurt them was strong enough, and I'll be damned if that wasn't the meanest intent I've ever felt.” Undyne frowned for a few moments, deep in thought before turning back to Papyrus. "You said you guys beat him on your own?"

"YES," Papyrus said, not wishing to elaborate. He didn't want to think about the experience any more than he had to.

Overcome by a sudden wave of weakness, he lowered himself to the ground next to Sans' ledge so he could sit. He tried to lean back against the wall, but another sharp pain from his wings reminded him that he couldn't even do that. Near tears with exhaustion he pulled his legs up with a shuddering sigh, leaning forward onto his knees with his arms wrapped around them.

Undyne seemed to take the hint because she didn't press him. Another few moments of silence passed with Undyne gazing critically at the bare cave. Papyrus kept himself busy by focusing on his knee joints in an attempt to fight off the desire to pass out. He had to stay awake and protect Sans. The demon was helpless now and he would never forgive himself if something happened to him now.

"HEY!"

Papyrus started as Undyne's face seemed to materialize before him, her yellow-gold eye creased with concern.

"HUH WHA-" he mumbled, almost incoherent. Raw fear sliced through his soul as he saw how close she had gotten to him.

"I said..." Undyne repeated with a sigh that sounded more relieved than exasperated, "that I was going to go and take care of a few things. I won't be long but you need to stay here and rest up."

"OH. OKAY," Papyrus said, his voice weaker than normal. He could still feel the panic buzzing in his bones, making him feel tense and on edge. He gripped his knees harder to keep them from trembling and hoped that Undyne would think it was from his deep exhaustion.

"And don't you dare try healing Sans." When Papyrus didn't answer immediately Undyne put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. His eyes finally focused on hers. "I want you to promise me."

"I PROMISE."

"All right," Undyne said, her expression satisfied. "Please, try to get some rest. I'll make sure you two aren't bothered."

She didn't really have to say a word about it. The last thing Papyrus remembered was the world dimming into black as he watched Undyne's wings disappear into the murky darkness.

******************

Papyrus woke with a start, surrounded by warmth and more comfortable than he had been in a long while. He was lying on his front, his face buried in something soft and plush that smelled really nice. It almost felt as good as being reborn had been. He grumbled, his voice thick with sleep, and buried his head further into whatever he was lying on.

"Are you awake?" a voice asked. It was familiar and close. Papyrus opened his eyes to see Undyne sitting next to him, resting her back against the stone wall with her wings cupped forward, watching him with interest, an arm casually draped over one bent knee.

"WHAT..." Papyrus slowly gathered his thoughts, recalling that there was nothing any sane person would classify as 'soft' in their cave. He flexed his wings.

That was... still not a good idea. He gave a low whine as a sharp pang ran up them and into his shoulders, which felt heavy and stiff. The wings were loosely tangled, their movement restricted by the same soft something that surrounded the rest of him. He nearly panicked before figuring out that while the stuff was hampering his movement, it wasn't completely restricting it.

"It's just a blanket, you silly twit," Undyne said gruffly, a hint of amusement in her eye. "You were dead to the world when I came back. It was easy enough to move you once I dragged the crap I found inside the cave.”

“FOUND?”

“Yeah, there are a few empty homes here and you’re talking to one of the best scroungers in Asriel’s group!"

"OH. THANK YOU." Papyrus was about as comfortable as could be expected. His bones ached, his wings hurt, and he could still feel the ragged edges of his magic fraying even from this slight exertion. However, he was atop some kind of thick pallet, had a pillow under his head, and blankets were strategically swaddled about him to provide warmth without causing undue stress to his injured wings.

"IT'S VERY NICE. WHAT ABOUT SANS?"

Annoyance flitted across Undyne's face for a moment.

"He’s fine. See for yourself."

Papyrus looked over at Sans’ ledge. He presumed the demon must still be there, asleep, if the jagged lump with a blanket haphazardly tossed across it was any indication. Soft snores, muffled by the cloth, echoed through the cave. Papyrus gave Undyne a pointed look.

"What? At least I GAVE him a blanket," she said defensively, raising her hands. "Listen, in HIS condition he doesn't give two shits about much. He's warm, and by the way he's trying to drill through the rock with that snoring over there I‘d say he's comfortable enough."

After staring at the fabric covered lump that was Sans for a few more moments, Papyrus relented.

"SO WHAT NOW?" The unfamiliar tug of sleep was already urging him to give in again. It seemed like his body was going to force him to get the rest he sorely needed whether he wanted it or not.

"Now we give you time to heal. I'll look after you two dorks till you're back on your feet again, maybe even help you heal that little gremlin over there in bits when you're up to it, though don't expect me to warm up to the ugly fuck. I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing this for you.”

“WHY WOULD YOU? THE LAST TIME WE MET WE DIDN’T EXACTLY… AGREE ON THINGS.” 

Undyne sighed, a wry expression on her face.

“Though I don't agree with some of your decisions, you're a good person. And he's important to you. For some crazy reason I would rather see your goofy-ass grin than have you getting all weepy over a demon."

There was a long silence as Papyrus watched Undyne thoughtfully. She fidgeted, getting more and more uncomfortable as he continued to stare.

“THANK YOU, UNDYNE,” he finally said, his voice full of unexpressed emotion.

Rather than make her relax, the heartfelt gratitude seemed to fluster her further.

“Whatever, you big nerd. Just get to sleep already and concentrate on getting better so I can get back to more important things.”

Papyrus willingly obeyed, surrendering himself to sleep once more.

****************

The next couple of days washed together in a blur made up by varying states of consciousness. For the brief periods he was awake, Undyne was never far off, and while he was sleeping… well, Undyne seemed to be able to keep herself occupied.

When he was finally able to sit up, he had looked down at himself in amazement.

“HOW DID YOU GET MY CLOTHES? THEY WERE… THEY…” Papyrus began to shiver as he remembered what had happened to his clothing, how the demon had torn them off when he…

Undyne’s placed one hand over Papyrus’ clenched fists in his lap, the other resting lightly on his shoulder where she gave a reassuring squeeze.

“Don’t worry about that. It’s a… thing that happens. Remember, we’re not physical like mortals are. I think… Asriel once said something about how the way our magic makes us appear… and perception…” Undyne trailed off and her brow creased with thought for a few moments before giving a chagrined laugh, flashing her sharp teeth at Papyrus. “Fuhuhuhuhu… I’ll be damned if I understood a word. Basically our clothes mend on their own. Just the way it is. Pretty convenient, actually.”

Papyrus didn’t answer, truly unsettled by the sight of his clothing on him, intact and unmarked, as though it had never been damaged in the first place. The disconnect yawned within his mind, full of churning emotion that threatened to overwhelm him if only he would let it. It just seemed wrong that he should appear so… normal after such a horrible thing had happened.

“Stars, you’re pale, Papyrus.” Undyne firmly guided Papyrus to lie down again, her voice full of concern. “Maybe it was too early to have you sit up. C’mon, time to sleep.”

Another time he had awoken to Undyne shoving something in his face. It smelled meaty and greasy, and he could feel it drip cold, oily liquid on him. Blearily Papyrus made a face at it and halfheartedly tried to push it away.

“Oh no you don’t,” Undyne barked. The sudden command jerked Papyrus back to alertness. “Sit up and eat.”

“BUT I DON’T NEED…” Papyrus began to protest, but was cut off by a glare from Undyne.

“No, you don’t, but it’ll help you build energy faster and help the healing. Now eat it. I’m not going to tell you what in the HELL it took to find this without taking it out of the mouth of someone who needed it much more than you do.”

Papyrus cast another dubious look at the thing. It seemed to be some kind of slimy looking meat topped with weird yellow and red sauce and squashed between two pieces of bread. Something glittered in the meat… Where those SEQUINS?

“I’D REALLY RATHER…” he tried again.

Undyne gave Papyrus a big, sharp grin. Her teeth glinted dangerously and he noticed the smile did not mirror itself in her eye.

“Papyrus, if you don’t eat this willingly, I’ll cram half of it down your throat and give you the other half as an enema,” she said, her faux sweet tone dripping with threat.

Papyrus wasn’t quite sure what an enema was, but he took the sandwich and ate it as quickly as he was able to make himself. It wasn’t easy. The meat and toppings were cold and the bread was slightly stale, but Undyne was right. As he ate it he could feel some energy return to him, though his stomach made a querulous noise, as though offended by what Papyrus had put into it.

“Better?” Undyne asked.

“A BIT, YES.”

“Good, because it’s time to help your ‘friend’.” Undyne said it like the words burned her tongue. “Can you get up?”

Papyrus didn’t have to be asked twice. He shed the blankets as haphazardly as he could and tried to stand. Once he did, he wobbled and would have fallen over if Undyne hadn’t caught him.

“Holy shit, Papyrus, take it easy. No one’s getting helped if you hurt yourself just getting over to him.”

“SORRY.”

Sans had shifted only a little since the last time Papyrus had seen him. He was so deeply asleep he could almost be mistaken for dead if not for the shallow rise and fall of his ribs and the occasional twitch from beneath the blanket.

When Undyne uncovered Sans, Papyrus gaped, distressed at the mangled mess of his wings. The left wing was bad enough, the membranes gashed and torn with cracks spiraling through the bones. The right wing, however, was much worse, and Papyrus could see where Sans’ body was already trying to heal the damage poorly, knitting together bone that wasn’t set right. At least he could be thankful that the bleeding had stopped, and it did seem like there were fewer injuries overall.

“Hey. Don’t look that way,” Undyne said softly. “Remember, he’s not gonna die.”

“BUT UNDYNE, HE’S HURT SO BADLY. I SHOULD HAVE… I COULDN’T…” Papyrus felt tears threatening at the corners of his eyes. Was Sans still in pain? Why hadn’t he been strong enough… fast enough… Papyrus could feel the world becoming distant, spiraling away in a whirlpool of panic and self blame that rose to overtake him.

A sharp smack against his back snapped him out of his daze, the dull pain from the impact pulling him forcibly back to the present, and he blinked at Undyne in surprise. He realized his cheeks were wet.

“Don’t you start that. C’mon, where’s that positive, energetic angel who argued with me all that time ago? Doesn’t he need your help? If you check out on me now that’s not gonna happen. Now are you ready or not?”

Papyrus nodded, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand.

“Good,” Undyne said, flashing him a grin. “That’s the Papyrus I know. We’re gonna have to go slow. We’ll start with his wings. As I set each bone right you’ll apply a bit of healing magic.” She squinted at Papyrus when he nodded eagerly. “CAREFULLY. The moment I say you’ve had enough, you’re done, so only heal enough to keep things from slipping out of place, understood? He can handle the rest himself.”

“YES,” Papyrus answered, determined to prove to Undyne that he could follow instructions. The last thing he wanted to do was give her the idea that he wasn’t up to doing this yet. He NEEDED to heal Sans. His soul twisted in pain just knowing how badly the demon was injured. He wanted to see Sans’ cocky smile. He wouldn’t even mind the demon’s contrary and grouchy ways if he would just be okay again.

The work went slowly, and was hardly easy. Undyne carefully set each bone in Sans’ right wing and Papyrus healed each break just enough to seal it and keep it in place. Some of the bones and joints resisted Undyne’s strong hands, forcing her to struggle to keep them still long enough for Papyrus to do his job. There were even a few places where she had to re-break a fracture in order to set it properly. Amazingly, other than the occasional low groan or twitch, Sans barely reacted as Undyne tugged and pulled to get each of the ends into place.

“Holy shit,” she muttered. “This should be hurting like a bitch. He’s really out for the count.”

Though she didn’t say it out loud, her words only communicated just how badly Sans had been hurt. His magic was so low, and so invested in just keeping him alive that even pain wouldn’t rouse him.

When Undyne finally decided they’d had enough, Papyrus was swaying dangerously forward, his eyes drooping and his vision blurring. Even Undyne herself was out of breath and sweating from intense concentration. She reached out and gripped Papyrus’ arm to ground him. He blinked up at her dumbly.

“Hey. I think we gotta get you settled before you pass out. I like you, but not enough to carry you back to bed. I’m pretty sure you’re a lot heavier than this guy was.” The grim satisfaction on Undyne’s face as she looked over their work was reassuring. Papyrus forced his eyes to focus long enough to take a closer look himself.

Sans still looked pretty rough, but his wings were now in much better shape. They were still cracked and painful looking, with marrow seeping out slowly at the few places they had to break to set properly, but everything seemed to be pointing the right way.

“Stay put for a sec while I wash up, Papyrus,” Undyne said, grimacing at the blue marrow on her palms before going to clean them off in the nearby water.

Papyrus stared at Sans’ sleeping face. Was there less discomfort there? Would Sans wake up sooner because of their healing? Papyrus couldn’t tell. He reached out and ran his hand over the back of Sans’ skull. The warmth he could feel from the bone was encouraging, and he smiled, hope blossoming in his soul. Leaning forward, he rested his forehead against Sans’ and breathed a sigh of relief.

“YOU NEED TO GET BETTER SOON. I STILL HAVE TO SCOLD YOU FOR PICKING A FIGHT WITH THAT CREATURE,” Papyrus murmured, his voice soft. He wondered if Sans could even hear him. He hoped so.

“Hey! You didn’t fall asleep on me, did you?”

Papyrus jumped at the sound of Undyne’s voice as she returned. His wings fluffed in surprise as he jerked upright, his face burning.

“UM N-NO! OF COURSE NOT!” he sputtered, looking away. “I WAS JUST RESTING MY EYES.”

Undyne snorted, starting to roll her eyes at him, but then stopped to take a closer look, her eyes narrowing as she examined his face.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she said, frowning with concern. “You’re awfully flushed.”

“Y-YES. I’M PERFECTLY FINE.” Papyrus almost squeaked as he leapt to his feet and almost fell back over again. Undyne caught him once more with an exasperated huff.

“I TOLD you to quit that,” she scolded, giving him an irritated glare. “Here, let’s get you laid back down.”

Sparing one last glance in Sans’ direction, Papyrus let Undyne lead him back to his bed. As she helped him arrange the blankets around himself and settle in, he felt the squeezing pressure around his soul loosen now that he had done what he could to help Sans’ recovery. For the first time since their encounter with the demon, Papyrus began to feel a bit more like he used to.

Like maybe, with time, he could be truly great again.


	20. Ensnarement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Undyne earns herself a stalker.
> 
>  
> 
> **TW: Implied suicide, references to suicide**

It would be so easy.

Papyrus was dead to the world and had been for hours. Now that she had scrounged up some bedding for him and had him carefully wrapped up, warm and comfortable on his new pallet, she found herself glaring down at the creature. She remained like that for a very long time, a blanket hanging loosely from one hand.

Blue light flashed through the cave as a magic spear appeared in her other hand. As she stepped closer to the demon, her grip tightened around the shaft of the weapon.

Easy, really. No one would have to know. Demons and angels simply vanished when they died. There would be no corpse left as evidence… Not even a pile of dust would remain. She could tell Papyrus that something had gone wrong while he had slept, that the demon had died too quickly from his injuries for either of them to do anything about it.

Then she could take Papyrus back to the others. True, Papyrus would be grief-stricken, but he would recover. The other angels would help take care of him and he would finally be where he belonged.

But SHE would know the truth.

Undyne ground her teeth in disgust. He was a DEMON. There was nothing wrong with her doing her job and ending him here and now. No one would ever be hurt by him again. She had done the same for others of his kind and would not hesitate to kill more in the future. This was the natural order, the way things were supposed to be.

Taking a deep breath, she glanced at Papyrus, still snug in his cocoon and sleeping, if not peacefully, then at least restfully. She remembered the haunted but determined look in his eyes as he had shielded the demon from her… the way he had stroked the creature’s skull, his touch gentle and full of love. As she had helped him to their home, Papyrus had told her that the small demon had finished off the larger one when the latter had gotten distracted by pinning Papyrus beneath it.

Would mere possessiveness drive a demon to risk life and limb to save another, especially when escaping meant living?

Possibly? Maybe? But not in the slightest bit likely…

Undyne examined the demon again, noticing how his body had been battered and broken during their ordeal. To say he was different from the other demons was too much of a stretch. He WASN’T. It was because of that she wouldn’t… COULDN’T trust him… IT. However… if he really did care about Papyrus… and she knew how Papyrus felt…

Knowing that, she couldn’t do it.

Her fingernails dug into the palm of her hand as she dismissed the spear, angry at herself for not being strong enough to do what was best. With a noise of disgust she threw the blanket over the demon before turning to leave. At the very least she shouldn’t have to LOOK at him, right?

Undyne sighed as she landed on the bank opposite Papyrus’ cave, her shoulders slumping with exhaustion.

What the hell had she gotten herself into?

She was helping a fucking DEMON.

Hate rose within her, building like bile in the back of her throat. Demons were the embodiment of evil. They were everything her and her kind, INCLUDING PAPYRUS, stood against. They had done horrible things to mortal and angel alike! Why in the everloving HELL was she helping him heal one?

And yet here she was.

She had to get some fresh air… to clear her head and get some perspective. Asriel would get worried if she didn’t report back home, and she wanted to find a place where she could clean up properly. She wanted to get these things done as soon as possible since she didn’t feel comfortable leaving Papyrus and his… friend alone and helpless for too long.

As she thought this, the sound of a struggle came to her ears, desperate cries ringing out through the air. Immediately, she was on alert, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. If someone was in trouble, she would have to help.

She approached cautiously, her wings prickling with the tension that hung heavy in the air. There was no telling if the sounds truly came from someone who needed help. She had heard tales that some of the more cunning demons were clever enough to mimic the sounds of a creature in distress to lure in any careless angel seeking to help.

Sure enough, she turned the corner to find two demonic forms hunched in the shadows, one large, one small and stooped. There was no other mortal or angel in sight. So it WAS a trap, then!

All the pent up anger and frustration from the last few days welled up within her in a single moment. Spear already in hand, she threw herself at the pair, her pale emerald wings flashing in the darkness.

The light of her magic revealed that the larger demon, some form of canine, had the smaller one, a reptilian monster with grimy yellow scales, pinned with its foot. The weaker demon was prostrate and squirming, barely able to move, yelling at the top of its lungs. The dog demon, looked up, startled to find Undyne bearing down on him with righteous fury blazing in her eye. He flinched and stepped back, releasing the smaller demon, who scrambled toward the corner to escape. This probably saved it, for a moment later Undyne hit the canine with all of her force, knocking it flat on its back with her spear through its chest. She used the rebound to leap backward, landing neatly on her feet. Extending one hand, she called on her magic. A cluster of glowing lights on the ground was the only warning the demon got before more turquoise spears burst from beneath it, killing it instantly.

The silence was immediate and heavy, filling the room with the intimidating pressure of Undyne’s overwhelming victory. Elated, she turned and summoned another spear to confront the other demon.

She stopped short when she realized that, rather than fighting, the demon was cowering in the corner with its hands raised in a pleading gesture.

“P-please… I-I-I…” she stammered, the voice undeniably feminine. She was trembling so hard Undyne could hear the skittering sound of her claws against the stone floor.

She really was a small demon. The larger demon had roughed her up good, leaving her yellow scales scuffed and scratched. Her undersized leathery wings were pulled in tight against her body as she shrank away from Undyne. Large green eyes gazed up in terror from behind a crooked pair of makeshift spectacles, tears leaking down her face and falling onto the dingy lab coat she wore.

Undyne deflated in an instant. Scowling, she dismissed her spear. Killing this creature would be a waste of energy.

“Get out of here,” she growled, stepping aside.

The demon uncurled herself slowly, scrutinizing Undyne with naked distrust and suspicion, her breathing coming in ragged gasps. Her hands wrung together nervously as her eyes flicked between Undyne and the exit.

Undyne sighed in exasperation.

“I’m not going to attack you. Go.”

“H-how do I know you’re telling the t-truth…?” The demon spat, her eyes narrowing even further as she looked Undyne up and down. “You m-might kill me the moment my b-back is turned.”

Despite the demon’s reluctance, Undyne noticed that she was no longer trembling. The little gremlin knew full well Undyne wasn’t lying, but distrust was second nature for these creatures so she couldn’t just accept the offer as genuine. Undyne rolled her eyes.

“Stars above! I’m not one of you, for heaven’s sake!” she snapped. “Take the mercy I’m offering and get lost!”

The small demon jumped at the sharp tone, a small yip of fear escaping from her. Taking her chance, she broke for it, scuttling across the room to the exit. At the door she stopped and turned to glare at Undyne, her eyes full of hate and malice.

“D-Don’t think I’m g-gonna thank some do-good angel for sparing m-me!” she squawked, momentarily straightening in defiance. Then, turning, she disappeared into the gloom of Waterfall.

Undyne snorted. Typical spite from a run-of-the-mill demon.

The rest of her trip home was uneventful. Despite the drop in temperature and having to wade through ankle deep snow, she smiled with relief when she spotted a familiar angel standing guard at the edges of their territory.

“Oh, hey! It’s Undyne! How are you doing today?” the tall rabbit monster chirped brightly, waving one furry blue paw.“ Asriel was just asking around about you!”

He was one of the friendliest angels she knew. Positive, encouraging, and always understanding of others’ circumstances, the blue rabbit was definitely an ideal angel.

He was also completely useless in a fight.

However, he also never shut up about helping wherever he could, so he had been placed as a guard. It was a straw man post, honestly. Most REAL danger was intercepted by the angels that went out exploring the Underground, and if anything DID happen he had orders to report before doing ANYTHING else.

Undyne thought he would get along well with Papyrus.

“I’m doing well enough, you furry nerd! Warmer than you are, that’s for sure.” Undyne grinned and slapped him on the shoulder. He winced but politely didn’t say anything. “But I guess that’s why they put you out here --” and not where you can get your good natured ass in trouble, Undyne didn’t include. “You said Asriel was looking for me?”

“Sure was!” He gave Undyne a warm smile in return.

“Did he seem… upset?”

He thought for a moment, cocking his head to one side, his nose twitching.

“Hmmm… more concerned than upset. He mentioned he hadn’t seen you around in a while and wanted to know if I’d noticed anything. I told him I didn’t because… well I didn’t!”

That was good. Asriel was a very patient person, but Undyne had no desire to be on the wrong end of his anger. He could come up with some pretty inventive “punishments”. Last time he had set her to watching the child angels, those who had died while young… Her wings twitched as she remembered how they had tugged at her feathers.

“Well, can you do me a favor? Could you let him know I stopped by and that I’m fine? I have something important to take care of. I’ll tell him about it the next time I see him, okay?”

“I dunno if he’ll like that…” The rabbit’s eyebrows drew down in concern. “I got the impression that he really wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Aw, c’mon~” Undyne said raucously, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “I have faith in you. Just relay my message and I’ll worry about the rest, okay?”

The rabbit brightened up at the compliment.

“Sure thing! I’ll let him know the next time I see him.”

“You’re the best!” Undyne waved as she turned to go. If she stayed too much longer, her wings might start growing icicles. At least the rabbit had fur to keep him toasty.

“You’re super spiffy yourself!” he called back as she took off.

One of these days she was really gonna have to remember the poor guy’s name.

**********************************

Alphys watched the thickening fog from behind a nearby stand of rocks, the trickling, gurgling sounds of Waterfall at her back. The red-headed angel had disappeared behind the mist a while back and Alphys had been forced to give up following her. It only got colder in that direction and Alphys didn’t like frigid temperatures, much preferring places like Hotlands. Unfortunately, larger, stronger demons had already staked their claims in that place, and Alphys had learned early on that it wasn’t her place to challenge stronger demons. Doing that was just plain dumb.

Of course, it wasn’t exactly a good idea to be following such a strong angel around either.

Wringing her hands together, Alphys muttered to herself. What had even possessed her to follow the angel? Why in the hell would she put herself in danger like this, especially after how quickly the angel had dispatched the demon that had been bullying her.

But of course she knew the answer…

The fierce brightness of the angel had entranced her.

She had made a decision at that very moment. One day she would catch the angel. One day… And once she had the angel, she would make it her slave.

After all, such a shining, beautiful creature would never choose to be with her willingly. She was deformed, ugly, with small, crabbed wings, scaly yellow skin and a permanent slouch. Even her green eyes were imperfect, causing her to squint myopically at the world around her till she had fashioned a pair of glasses using only her magic, rusty bits of wire, and some volcanic glass she had found.

She wasn’t even strong. Most of her time was spent hiding, even from her own kind. She was aware, with an instinctive certainty, that the only thing her fellow demons could offer was derision, abuse, and servitude.

What had happened today had only proven the naked truth of that.

However, what she lacked in brute strength, she more than made up for with her intelligence. She could take refuge in that small blessing, at least. She would use those wits to capture the angel and make it serve her, whether it wanted to or not.

With such a powerful servant at her side, no one would dare to oppose or bully her. She could do whatever she wanted.

…And if she dallied a bit with her slave, it would only be her right.

So she had followed the angel until she had disappeared into the fog that led to the coldest part of the Underground.

Alphys growled in frustration. Where was the angel now? She wondered if her intuition had failed her. There was no guarantee the angel would return this way.

Bitter disappointment chewed at her soul, and angry tears pricked at her eyes as her claws scored grooves into the stone she hid behind. Of course she had been stupid to expect that the angel would come back. What had made her think that a weak, pathetic demon like her could ever do something so grand as capture an angel?

She kicked at a pebble as she turned to go, and it skittered across the wet floor. Fine then, at least she could find some way to entertain herself. The place she had been reborn at was a secluded place, dim and depressing, with a large, roaring waterfall that plunged into a rocky chasm. After the pain… after the fear and confusion of finding herself alone with only her name… She had stood at the edge of that plunge, staring down into the darkness in fascination. It had been so dark down there.

Even now she wondered how far it was to the bottom. Was there even a bottom?

Not long after that, she had discovered that a certain kind of mortal tended to frequent this place. They, also, would stare into the depths of the abyss, their eyes distant and blank, some with tear streaked faces, others without. Regardless of their expressions though, Alphys could feel the deep desperation that had driven them there. These mortals had fascinated her almost as much as the chasm had, and something deep within her told her that if she “pushed” these mortals in just the right way…

Well, maybe it was about time she tested that hypothesis out. She certainly felt spiteful enough, and the thought of following through on her urges broIs ught a deep sense of satisfaction that she still didn’t fully understand.

The rustle of wings and a sudden movement from the corner of her vision had Alphys diving for cover, her hands flying up over her mouth to stifle a frightened squeak.

Peeking out from her hiding place, she saw the angel glide out of the fog, passing by Alphys’ hiding place on pale emerald wings and braking with a few strong beats before landing a short distance away.

Alphys fought the panic rising in her soul. Had she been seen? Would the angel put an end to her here and now? If she had been spotted, there was no way for her to escape. She was boxed between the cave wall and the rock. Her soul beat rapidly and her breath seemed to catch in her throat. She stifled a whimper.

But the angel didn’t even look in her direction. She stretched languorously, looking around her to get her bearings, never noticing the small, trembling demon hiding nearby in the shadows.

Alphys breathed a sigh of relief as the angel picked a direction and walked away from her. Stars, that had scared her to death. Maybe following an angel wasn’t the best decision she had made today. Not that any decision she had made today had been all that good.

She stood there, uncertain, shifting from one foot to another. Should she follow? She had already come this far, after all.

Her indecision finally broke as she saw the last flash of blue and green disappear around the corner. She couldn’t let this chance get away from her. The thought of being weak, of hiding away, or of being crushed under another’s claws forever made her want to scream. She couldn’t risk another demon claiming the angel, She was HERS.

She chased after the angel as quickly as she dared. At first she thought that she had lost her. How could such a beautiful creature disappear so easily? There was no way she could have gotten far. Alphys’ claws squelched in the mud along one of Waterfall’s many pools as she searched among the stones, their damp coating of luminescent moss providing dim light.

A noise made her freeze, her senses immediately fine tuned to her surroundings. Her nostrils flared at the musky damp and her eyes tried to pierce the shadows around her. An enemy?

Singing. She heard singing.

The tune was very soft, wavering in and out of hearing. Intrigued, she made her way through the cover, working her way around the edge of the pond, looking for the source of the noise.

As she got closer, Alphys stepped up onto a drier portion of the bank, a small finger of gravel and sand that led into the water at an easy slope. She grimaced as sand stuck to the wet mud still clinging to her feet, gritty and uncomfortable. Though she tried to shake it off, it only resulted in her feet becoming tangled in something laying on the bank, and she almost fell flat on her face. Uttering a soft curse as she stumbled, Alphys’ clumsy glasses slid down on her face before dropping off, causing the world to blur around her.

Her soul thudded in her chest as she spent a few desperate moments fishing on the ground for her glasses. If someone snuck up on her… if they attacked her… She would barely be able to defend herself without her glasses!

An audible sigh of relief escaped her as her claw closed around their familiar shape. Snatching them up, she peered at them, squinting while turning them in her hands to see them from every angle, making sure they weren’t damaged. After pressing a few errant wires back into place, she polished the lenses on her grungy lab coat and settled them back on her nose.

The first thing she saw was what had tripped her. A small, unorganized lump of familiar clothing was strewn along the small beach in a deliberate path to the water.

Wasn’t that the clothing the angel had been wearing?

Making minute adjustments to the glasses as she puzzled over this strange development, she finally looked up to check her surroundings.

Her breath caught.

O-oh stars.

This particular pool was one of the deeper ones in Waterfall, the water clean and clear enough to see the pebbles at the bottom. The banks were lush with rushes and other water-loving plants, and the water extended all the way to the far end of the room where it met the rock wall of the cavern. This wall sloped inward as it climbed up and up until it met the mouth of an underground inlet that fed into the center of the pool below.

The angel stood under this waterfall, her wings outstretched and the tips trailing lightly in the water behind her. She was completely relaxed and in her element with her head tilted back as she let the water wash over her face and through her hair, which was now loose and flowing down her back like liquid flame. Alphys wondered what it would be like to touch that hair… to run her claws through it… (to yank back on it, exposing the soft lines of the angel’s tender neck). She wanted to stroke (break) those powerful, emerald wings. Alphys’ eyes glittered, noting how the glow from the luminescent algae lit each of the angel’s curves with soft light, how the wet scales of her unblemished, turquoise skin seemed to sparkle softly.

She was so beautiful.

Folding her wings, the angel turned and pulled her long hair over her shoulder to comb it out in front of her, too lost in thought to notice the demon spying on her. Alphys’ eyes roamed greedily over her body, taking in the curve of her breast, the defined, smooth contour of her stomach leading down to… DAMMIT the water was waist high…

A warm trickle down Alphys’ lip announced the start of a nosebleed.

It took a few soul beats for Alphys to remember where she was. Oh fucking stars above, she was standing there, exposed and in the open with an angel who had expressed her opinion on demons VERY clearly not a few hours ago. She had to go… she needed to HIDE…

Near panic, she turned and began to shuffle away.

“HEY, WHAT THE HELL? WHAT ARE YOU DOING OVER THERE?”

Alphys yelped. She turned to see the angel marching toward her, arm raised, palm glowing with magic. The water around her sloshed and rippled as she advanced on the bank where Alphys stood.

Soul leaping with terror, all Alphys could do was give another loud squawk before scrambling the rest of the way up the incline. The electric buzz of magic and the sharp thunks of the angel’s spears hitting the ground just behind her told Alphys she almost hadn’t made it.

Even as she scuttled away and disappeared around a corner, her mind wandered back to the glimpse she had caught as the angel had emerged far enough out of the water for it to dip to mid thigh…

Her soul clenched with desire.

Oh yes, she would definitely make the angel hers, no matter what it took.

**Author's Note:**

> LOOOK!!~~  
>  [All the Fanart!~](https://purrfecktlysinful.tumblr.com/tagged/ficart)
> 
> So many people have made wonderful fanart for this (you're all so wonderful), check it out on my tumblr!~


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